Justice Minister Adel Nassar expressed satisfaction with the judicial appointment process, insisting that it will proceed without political interference or favoritism as he pledged to advance long-awaited judicial reforms.

Speaking in an interview with MTV’s website, Nassar highlighted the smooth progress of judicial appointments, contrasting them with the contentious selections of the central bank governor and the board of the state-run Télé Liban channel in the Cabinet. He maintained that the appointments are based on merit rather than political affiliations, citing the absence of major objections as evidence.

“We placed the right people in the right positions,” Nassar said.

The justice minister also addressed upcoming judicial formations, describing them as the most significant challenge of his tenure.

Nassar said his priority is to fill vacancies in the Supreme Judicial Council at the next Cabinet session, calling it the first step toward completing broader judicial formations, which he has scheduled for the spring. He noted that Lebanon’s judiciary currently faces a vacancy rate of approximately 30%.

The justice minister pushed back against widespread allegations of corruption and political influence in the judiciary, arguing that such claims unfairly tarnish the majority of judges.

“There are corrupt judges, but they are a minority,” he said. “Contrary to what many believe, reform is not an impossible task.”

He also announced that he would allow Ayman Oueidat, head of the Judicial Inspection Authority, to select the authority’s council members in order to form what he called a “cohesive and efficient team.”

Nassar, who was appointed as part of the Kataeb Party’s share in the government, referred to party leader Samy Gemayel as a “friend” but insisted that Gemayel had not requested any favors. As an example, he pointed to the recent appointment of Youssef Gemayel as head of the State Council, noting that he hails from Zahle and has no family ties to the Kataeb chief.