Hezbollah had sought the re-appointment of caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati; its MP Mohammed Raad immediately reacted claiming the group's opponents sought its exclusion. Emboldened by Aoun's election, the opposition had put forward Salam to push for reforms that could trigger foreign aid. Developments suggest a shift in the balance of strength, and indicate that Lebanon is increasingly aligning with US and Saudi regional interests.
Declining Iranian support and Hezbollah's poor state will hamper compensation to the group's Shia supporters for war-related damage.
Syria's new leadership is unlikely to regain the country's former influence in Lebanon.
Saudi Arabia will position itself to lead Lebanon's economic recovery.
Ageing and lacking charisma, Hezbollah's leader Naim Qassem will struggle to live up to his predecessor Hassan Nasrallah's legacy.
