Lebanon’s Long-Awaited Judicial Appointments Near Completion...

Judicial appointments stalled over Financial Prosecutor dispute

By Chadi Hileneh (originally in Arabic) | English version prepared by Akhbar al-Yawm

Judicial appointments have once again returned to the forefront in Lebanon, with informed legal sources confirming to the "Akhbar al-Yawm" agency that significant progress is being made toward finalizing the long-delayed judicial reshuffle. However, a key obstacle remains: ongoing disagreements over the nomination of the next Financial General Prosecutor.

According to the sources, the restructuring of the judiciary has entered its final stages and is expected to be completed in the near future. The appointments are likely to be announced in July, coinciding with the beginning of the judicial recess, which runs from July 15 to September 15. Newly appointed judges are expected to assume their positions at the end of this break.

Sources note that Lebanon has gone eight years without issuing a comprehensive judicial reshuffle, resulting in a substantial vacancy rate within the judiciary. The delays have impeded the efficiency and independence of the judicial system.

Despite this, communications between Justice Minister Adel Nassar and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri remain ongoing in an attempt to reach a resolution. The dispute revolves primarily around the method of handling the appointment process and is further complicated by entrenched political interference that has long plagued Lebanon’s judiciary.

The sources pose a fundamental question: Will seniority and ranking prevail in the upcoming reshuffle, or will merit, integrity, and productivity be prioritized for the first time? Past experiences offer limited optimism, but the answer will become clear in the coming weeks.

The outcome of these appointments is widely viewed as a critical test of whether Lebanon is capable of instituting meaningful judicial reform and restoring public trust in the independence and effectiveness of its legal institutions.