End of the ‘Change Movement’ Illusion
Johnny Kortbawi 30/05 13:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
There are many lessons to be drawn from the recent municipal elections held in Lebanon. While it's true that municipal contests in villages and small towns are often shaped by family ties and local dynamics and thus cannot be taken as clear indicators of parliamentary elections, the reality in major cities cannot be ignored – cities that ...
Bidding War: Municipal Unions Up for Grabs
Johnny Kortbawi 27/05 14:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Lebanon Elections FPM Michel Murr Metn Jezzine
When Michel Aoun returned from French exile in 2005, he arrived with sweeping slogans and the confidence of a man fully in control of his political momentum. This tone gradually diminished once he became the head of state. At the time, he championed stronger Christian representation and pushed the boundaries of the powers allotted to him under ...
When Emigrants Pay the Price of Exile
Johnny Kortbawi 23/05 20:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Amal Free Patriotic Movement Europe Hezbollah Kuwait
None of the emigrants chose to leave voluntarily. They left either in pursuit of education abroad or to find work that could provide them with economic stability and safety amid the wars in Lebanon. When the electoral law was amended to include expatriates in the actual voting process, enthusiasm soared, and in the last election, a quarter of a ...
Lebanon Reduced to the Scale of a Mukhtar
Johnny Kortbawi 20/05 15:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Donald Trump Hezbollah Israel Joseph Aoun Saudi Arabia
While Saudi Arabia was signing investment deals with the United States worth over $600 billion, and President Donald Trump was pursuing economic ventures exceeding $4 trillion to boost the global economy and forge new alliances, Lebanon was engaging in international politics on the scale of a mukhtar, a village chief. As developments began to ...
The Never-Ending Debate on the Independent Municipal Fund
Johnny Kortbawi 13/05 14:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Municipal elections Lebanon Municipal Fund Decentralization
In Lebanon, no conversation about municipal elections seems complete without mentioning the Independent Municipal Fund. Whether in political discourse or campaign rhetoric, the fund remains at the heart of debate—and controversy. Established with the noble aim of supporting municipalities and municipal federations, especially those with limited ...
The Sunni Leadership Problem...
Johnny Kortbawi 10/05 09:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Lebanon has witnessed three major nationwide Sunni leaderships since independence. The first was the leadership of Riad Al Solh, a pillar of the National Pact, independence, and Greater Lebanon after the French withdrawal. The second was Saeb Salam, the leading Sunni figure within Lebanon’s Chehabist political framework and beyond. He was known ...
The FPM: Once Upon a Time in Power
Johnny Kortbawi 06/05 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Municipal Elections Lebanon Free Patriotic Movement
Those close to the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) often exaggerate the party’s political victories. After the most recent parliamentary elections, they insisted for months that the FPM held the largest bloc, despite clear figures showing the Lebanese Forces (LF) had outperformed them. They maintained this narrative by portraying their entire bloc ...
Municipal Elections Set Stage for Legislative Showdown
Johnny Kortbawi 02/05 15:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Free Patriotic Movement Amal Hezbollah Lebanese Forces
The municipal elections, even indirectly, will have a significant impact on the upcoming parliamentary elections. Many of these coalitions may not endure, but they reveal how political actors are positioning themselves—not just in relation to their allies, but more tellingly, to their rivals. In Metn, the alliance between the Free Patriotic ...
Regional Messaging Between Israel and Iran
Johnny Kortbawi 29/04 13:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Israel Donald Trump Hezbollah Middle East Lebanon
The hands of the clock have frozen in the Middle East as the region waits out the deadline set by US President Donald Trump and his administration to conclude negotiations with Iran—before a potential military escalation that would decisively tip the balance in Israel’s favor. But everything unfolding in the region during this lull amounts to ...
A Story of Ill Will, Not Fair Representation
Johnny Kortbawi 26/04 11:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Beirut Municipalities Saad Hariri Nawaf Salam Elections
All hidden intentions have come to light, and the undeniable truth is now clear: some are unwilling to ensure equal representation in Beirut’s municipality, or at least are unwilling to uphold it. The real crisis lies in the absence of unified Sunni support in the city, compounded by the inability to provide a political umbrella in the capital ...
Beirut's Municipality: A Small-Scale Republic
Johnny Kortbawi 22/04 11:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Beirut’s municipality is, in truth, more than a municipal body, yet smaller than a republic. It is effectively a quasi-state, given the sheer number of people who enter the city each day for work or residence — a figure that amounts to nearly half of Lebanon’s population. More than 60 percent of the country’s registered vehicles also enter ...
From the Valley of the Saints to New York…
Johnny Kortbawi 18/04 08:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Nothing is more powerful than the text Gibran Khalil Gibran wrote in The Storms, titled “Jesus the Crucified.” With striking clarity, Gibran conveys a spiritual depth that the world so often overlooks on Good Friday. Many settle for church rituals—the procession of Christ or the burial rite—or treat it merely as a time to fast until ...
From Firepower to Billboards: The Evolution of "May 7"
Johnny Kortbawi 15/04 10:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Hassan Nasrallah Hezbollah billboards airport road Lebanon
It’s striking how much Hezbollah’s projection of power has changed over the years. Once firmly gripping Lebanon’s state institutions, the party sought to assert dominance over the entire political spectrum—often by force. There was a time when Hezbollah stormed Beirut with weapons and fire, burned down the TV studios of its political ...
Does the State Belong to a Party or to Everyone?
Johnny Kortbawi 11/04 16:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Hezbollah central bank Lebanon
One of the biggest questions since the outbreak of the crisis in the fall of 2019 concerns the issue of determining responsibility for the losses that led to the default on payments, the suspension of external debt servicing and the freeze on deposits. In reality, the way one views the Lebanese economy is the main driver behind the different ...
The Enduring Allure of Foreign Guardianship in Lebanon
Johnny Kortbawi 08/04 09:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Morgan Ortagus Syria Iran Israel Hezbollah
Morgan Ortagus arrives in Beirut, exuding both elegance and diplomatic poise, with a hairstyle and presence that radiate charm and beauty. As a US presidential special envoy, she stands out in the context of Lebanese politics. Yet, in essence, she remains no different from her predecessors throughout Lebanon’s history, despite the distinct ...
Beirut Municipality: Parity and Coexistence Are Crucial
Johnny Kortbawi 04/04 11:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
The municipal elections can no longer be postponed, especially now that no party is willing to take the blame for another delay, regardless of the challenges. The main issue is the fragile balance of equal representation in the Beirut Municipality, which remains uncertain as efforts to preserve it continue. Rafic Hariri – and later his son – ...
The Municipal Elections Bazaar
Johnny Kortbawi 01/04 14:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Despite behind-the-scenes talks suggesting that some officials may be considering a quiet postponement of municipal and optional elections until at least September—in order to allow for greater political clarity and better adaptation to the evolving security situation in the south—the electoral momentum in Lebanon is already gaining intensity. ...
Gebran Bassil: Navigating His Political Exit Strategies
Johnny Kortbawi 29/03 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Gebran Bassil Free Patriotic Movement Lebanese Forces Baalbeck Hezbollah
Gebran Bassil, the son-in-law of former President Michel Aoun, is hardly envied for his limited options, particularly with the upcoming parliamentary elections. He is growing increasingly concerned about the potential alliance between Majd Harb, son of former MP and Minister Boutros Harb, and the Lebanese Forces (LF) in Batroun, a partnership that ...
Political Gains Over Military Might
Johnny Kortbawi 25/03 16:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Hezbollah Amal Ali Hassan Khalil Elections
Lebanon has long been accustomed to generating contentious — and at times existential — debates. At any given time, discussions can emerge over a particular issue, starting as a legislative matter but quickly evolving into a national, constitutional, or even structural controversy. The latest example is the proposal to adopt a single electoral ...
Electoral Law Tinkering
Johnny Kortbawi 21/03 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Lebanon has never held parliamentary elections without first revisiting its electoral law. The country stands out for its persistent search for voting systems that cater to the shifting political landscape and the interests of dominant parliamentary parties. While the Taif Agreement established governorates as electoral districts, the 1992 ...
Municipal Elections: The Cornerstone of Decentralization
Johnny Kortbawi 18/03 11:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Municipalities Elections Lebanon
Many fail to fully grasp the role and importance of municipal elections, which are largely regarded as little more than a routine event or a contest among families and relatives. Political parties further fuel these rivalries, especially in larger towns and villages, where they treat the poll and the local leaders as instruments to advance their ...
Diplomatic Opportunities
Johnny Kortbawi 14/03 11:46 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Lebanon Hezbollah Israel Diplomacy
Former allies of Hezbollah are stepping forward, advocating for diplomacy rather than war to resolve the ongoing issues between Lebanon and Israel. This marks a significant shift in the country’s political landscape. In his latest interview on Sar El Waet with journalist Marcel Ghanem, MP Tony Frangieh spoke with a boldness rarely seen among ...
Before Implementing Taif’s Mere Formalities...
Johnny Kortbawi 11/03 11:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is determined to implement the Taif Agreement. His commitment to this accord is not new as Taif marked a clear transition between war and peace in Lebanon and provided various political factions with guarantees in governance. Salam has consistently expressed his support for Taif—not just after being appointed Prime ...
Beirut Municipality and the Struggle for Survival
Johnny Kortbawi 07/03 11:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Next May, Beirut is set to face its fifth municipal election since the war—assuming the elections take place. All signs indicate that they will, given the firm insistence of the President and the government. After the Beirut Municipal elections in 1998 and 2004, which were made possible with the support of late Prime Minister Rafic Hariri ...
Zelensky, the Antihero
Johnny Kortbawi 04/03 11:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Volodymyr Zelensky Donald Trump Emmanuel Macron Middle East Ukraine
The debate between US President Donald Trump and his vice president on one side and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the other is far from customary in diplomatic norms or political traditions. But isn’t Trump a unique figure, unlike anything we have seen in past years, or even decades, in terms of his approach to politics? Trump sat ...
Lebanese Civil War: Fiftieth Anniversary
Johnny Kortbawi 28/02 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Lebanon Hassan Nasrallah Hezbollah
Lebanon is preparing to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Lebanese Civil War, which opened wide the gates of hell on Lebanon and the Lebanese. The war did not end when the shells and rockets stopped with the entry of the Syrian army into Lebanon and the storming of the Baabda Palace to end Michel Aoun's illegitimate rule. The war ended ...
The Numbers Game in Politics
Johnny Kortbawi 25/02 10:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Hassan Nasrallah Hezbollah Numbers
Lebanese people have a deep fascination with numbers of all kinds. They compete in elections and vote counts, then spend months analyzing the results to determine who holds the largest share and the broadest representation. In parliament, influence is measured by who secured the most preferential votes. Even protests become contests over who can ...
Abolition of Political Sectarianism: Is It the Right Time?
Johnny Kortbawi 21/02 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Hezbollah sectarianism Taif Agreement Lebanon
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s call for the abolition of political sectarianism and the formation of a national commission for this purpose can be understood in light of his secularist stance and his well-known legal and political background. If anyone has the right to push for this socio-political shift in Lebanon, it is Nawaf Salam. However, it ...
How Hezbollah Set the Shiite Community Back 40 Years
Johnny Kortbawi 18/02 10:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Hassan Nasrallah Hezbollah Israel Palestine
Hezbollah still considers itself victorious. On the day of Nasrallah’s funeral, the group is preparing for a massive public display to prove that it remains strong. However, it has yet to realize that this is no longer the case. It signed a humiliating ceasefire agreement that completely eliminates its weapons, both north and south of the Litani ...
The War Ended Today
Johnny Kortbawi 14/02 08:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Lebanon is preparing to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the outbreak of the civil war, which started on April 13, 1975, and lasted for more than 15 years. The actual date of the war’s end, October 13, 1990, was not the end of the crisis. The end of the war means three parallel things. The first is the withdrawal of weapons from all ...