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 ...
The Many Interpretations of Morgan Ortagus’ Missile
Johnny Kortbawi 11/02 13:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Donald Trump Hezbollah Israel Morgan Ortagus
Morgan Ortagus landed in Lebanon like a missile. One must set aside the sexist remarks that were little more than admiration of her beauty, and the crude jokes along the lines of “do as you please, beautiful”—the kind of comments we thought belonged to a bygone era, only to realize that they remain deeply ingrained in the Lebanese ...
The Wand and the Magic Ring
Johnny Kortbawi 08/02 08:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Donald Trump Hezbollah Israel Middle East Morgan Ortagus
The ring on the finger of the new U.S. deputy envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus was given more attention than it deserved, but its symbolism was far greater than what Lebanon could endure. Opponents did not differentiate between it being a religious symbol—perhaps because Judaism in Lebanon is often associated with Zionism, which led ...
To What Extent Does Nawaf Salam Adopt a Common Criteria?
Johnny Kortbawi 05/02 08:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Nawaf Salam Hezbollah Government
A quick assessment of the current situation shows that among the majority of MPs who nominated Nawaf Salam to form the new government, only a few remain satisfied with the prime minister-designate’s performance. So far, Salam has managed to infuriate most of those who were on his side, while satisfying his opponents, particularly Amal and ...
The Demonization of Political Parties and Its Effects
Johnny Kortbawi 31/01 09:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Lebanon Hezbollah Political Parties
There is a widespread misconception in Lebanon regarding political party life. Talking about political parties in politics is akin to referring to cancer as “that disease.” This perception stems from the association of political parties with war. Many parents, who believed that their children should pursue their education, viewed political ...
Victory in the Streets of Gemayzeh
Johnny Kortbawi 28/01 09:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Hezbollah and its allies persistently deny the narrative that it uses its weapons domestically and tailors its political actions solely to serve its interests and safeguard its arsenal. Since entering the political arena in 2005, Hezbollah has maintained this stance, justifying its actions as efforts to safeguard Lebanon rather than ...
The Last Shot… Ending Amal-Hezbollah Grip on Finance Ministry
Johnny Kortbawi 24/01 17:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Amal Hezbollah Lebanese Forces
The Ministry of Finance is not just a mere step in government formation. Speaker Nabih Berri has reopened the “Taif” files, reflecting on a past that no longer has anyone to endorse or oppose. The Ministry of Finance was indeed part of the Taif Agreement discussions, with a proposal to assign it to the Shiite community. However, this proposal ...
Is the Ministry of Finance the Best Option for the Shiite Duo?
Johnny Kortbawi 21/01 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Lebanon Prime Minister President Government Hezbollah Amal
Forming the government will mark the third victory for the sovereign camp in Lebanon. The first was General Joseph Aoun’s election, which defied the wishes of the Amal-Hezbollah duo, who had steadfastly backed its own candidate for two years. In an attempt to create a false narrative of success, it even resorted to the “two-hour break” ...
The Reason Why Politics Can’t Be Dissociated from a Government
Johnny Kortbawi 17/01 12:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
One of the most pressing demands that emerged on the streets since the October 17 Revolution (Thawra) regarding government formation was the call for technocratic or specialist-led governments. The expectation was that each expert would head their respective ministry, ensuring effective management driven by specialization, rather than the ...
When Hezbollah Takes a Backseat...
Johnny Kortbawi 14/01 12:46 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Hezbollah Lebanon Government Cabinet Parliament
Hezbollah has been a central player in the political arena since 2005. It effectively replaced Syrian tutelage with its own presence in the Cabinet, starting with its participation in Najib Mikati's first government in April 2005. This marked the beginning of the party’s active and uninterrupted role in governance. More than once, Hezbollah ...
Are We Witnessing the Rise of Another Fouad Chehab?
Johnny Kortbawi 10/01 09:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Lebanon Joseph Aoun Presidency
In Lebanon, history tends to repeat itself in times of crisis, seldom during moments of progress, as we have grown accustomed to hardship that we often forget the fleeting moments of light. However, one cannot help but notice the striking similarities between the newly elected President Joseph Aoun and one of the pillars of Lebanon's First ...