Assuming that the first meeting of the ordinary autumn parliamentary session takes place on Tuesday (October 22), the following question remains: what does the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) have in mind concerning the reappointment of its MPs at the head of parliamentary committees or to positions within the Bureau of the Chamber?
On Friday, Speaker Nabih Berri summoned lawmakers to a plenary session, an annual meeting held on the first Tuesday after October 15, in accordance with the Constitution. During this meeting, MPs are required to elect the two secretaries and three commissioners for the Bureau of the Chamber, as well as the members of the 16 permanent committees, each of which will then meet separately to vote for their own president and rapporteur.
Currently, the two secretaries of the Bureau of the Chamber are Alain Aoun and Hadi Abou al-Hosn, while the three commissioners are Michel Moussa, Abdel Karim Kabbara and Hagop Pakradounian. “Except for Alain Aoun, whose status remains unclear, the other four MPs will keep their positions,” a reliable source confirmed to This is Beirut.
The elections of parliamentary committees set for October 22 are especially significant this year, as they are taking place against a backdrop of deep political tensions.
One of the main concerns, aside from whether the session will take place or not, is the FPM’s intentions on the matter. Will it change the game by nominating new candidates to replace Alain Aoun, the Secretary-General of the Bureau of the Chamber, and the respective chairs of the Finance and Budget Committee and Youth and Sports Committee, Ibrahim Kanaan and Simon Abi Ramia? The three MPs are no longer part of the FPM parliamentary bloc. Abi Ramia was dismissed, while Aoun and Kanaan resigned from the bloc.
The reason? The deep internal divisions that have persisted since the current leader of the FPM, Gebran Bassil, took the reins of the party.
While some political circles confirm that the session on October 22 will take place, others are concerned that the quorum of 65 MPs may not be secured. According to information obtained by This is Beirut, opposition lawmakers are expected to attend. However, it remains uncertain whether members of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc (Hezbollah) will participate. Concerns related to the current security situation – the ongoing conflict between the pro-Iranian faction and Israel – could "prevent" their attendance, given their fear of being targeted by Israel.
Potential scenarios
Under normal circumstances, as per a source within Parliament, the question would not even arise, as there is typically a reappointment of the members and chairs of the various parliamentary committees. Today, the likelihood that the FPM may replace its opponents stems from several factors.
On one hand, a desire to oust Aoun, Kanaan and Abi Ramia would reflect Gebran Bassil's "need" to settle scores with those who have "dared" to distance themselves from the party. However, this desire could be tempered by Berri, who has previously communicated to the FPM leader his firm refusal to implement any changes to the current composition of the parliamentary committees.
Bassil's political influence has weakened, especially after the end of Michel Aoun's presidential term on October 31, 2022. Additionally, tensions are rising with his former "ally," Hezbollah, as well as with his political opponents, such as the Lebanese Forces (LF).
If the FPM decides to put forward new candidates, this choice could impact the party's ability to maintain its alliances and influence in Parliament.
Two possibilities are thus on the table: either Bassil concedes to the speaker of the House and avoids any upheaval, in an attempt to play the presidential card (thus preventing the rise to power of the Army Commander, Joseph Aoun, who is seen as a likely candidate for the presidency), or he suggests three new names (among Georges Atallah, Nada Boustani, Salim Aoun and Cesar Abi Khalil) to replace Kanaan, Aoun and Abi Ramia, who could then receive the support of other political forces, a source close to the dossier explained to This is Beirut.
In this context, Bassil would have little chance of winning this battle. All the more so, according to the same source, because Alain Aoun, Michel Aoun’s nephew, is a leading figure in the FPM and an influential negotiator in political dialogues with other parties. Abi Ramia, on the other hand, is a significant figure with influence on social and governance issues, while Kanaan is often seen as the architect of financial and legislative matters, having played a key role in crucial budgetary reforms.
Consequently, if the FPM puts forward new candidates, "opposition forces would rally behind the two committee chairs and the current Secretary-General," the same source indicated.
Another political official confirmed that "the LF will refrain from proposing candidates if Bassil insists on replacing them. They will instead emphasize their support for keeping the three aforementioned MPs in their current positions.
Could a lack of quorum allow both the FPM and the speaker of the House, who opposes any changes, to sidestep this dilemma? Will Hezbollah MPs attend, given that Berri made use of their absence from parliamentary sessions aimed at electing a president (a position vacant since 2022), to absolve himself from responsibility for the institutional deadlock?
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