FPM

Michel Moawad: Lebanon Is Being Held Hostage by Hezbollah

MP Michel Moawad, from the Renewal bloc, deplored in an interview with LBCI on Wednesday evening that the Lebanese government's decision on war and peace had been "hijacked" by Hezbollah, charging that caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati "let Hezbollah have its way, to the detriment of the country's sovereignty." For the opposition MP, "the only ...

Has the FPM-Hezbollah Relationship Entered a New Phase?

In a move that brought the simmering divisions between the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and its former ally Hezbollah into the open,  former President and FPM founder Michel Aoun and the party’s current leader, MP Gebran Bassil, denounced Hezbollah’s military activities against Israel in South Lebanon. "We are not bound to Gaza by a defense ...

Michel Aoun at FPM Meeting Calls for 'Closing Ranks'

The weekly meeting of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), headed by its leader Gebran Bassil, was marked by the presence of his father-in-law, former President of the Republic Michel Aoun. According to information obtained by This is Beirut, this participation comes in the wake of "unjustified" absences of several FPM members from party meetings ...

Joseph Aoun Once Again Cleared of FPM Accusations

The Lebanese Audit Court has issued a report clearing Army Commander-in-Chief Joseph Aoun of all the accusations leveled against him by the Minister of Defense, Maurice Slim, confirming "the absence of violations of applicable laws." Reports note that this step may pave the way for further "deterrent measures" to prevent attacks on the army and ...

A Presidential Trial Run ...

According to reports from opposition members, last Friday's parliamentary vote to extend the term of office of Army Commander-in-Chief General Joseph Aoun by one year was a test run for the presidential election. The vote in favor of extending the army chief's term of office exceeded 70 votes, given that the number of MPs present at the session ...

Military Appointments May Be Raised at Cabinet Meeting Tuesday

Following the extension of army commander General Joseph Aoun’s mandate for a year, a council of ministers’ meeting, scheduled to take place on Tuesday, December 19, may look into the appointment of an army chief of staff and members of the military council. According to a political source “the matter is under consideration,” though it ...

Parliament Bureau to Meet on Monday

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called for a meeting of the Parliament Bureau on Monday to set the agenda for a plenary session he had promised to organize in the first half of December. Above all, his move means that Parliament is ready to act to avoid a vacancy at the head of the army by extending the term of office of its Commander-in-Chief ...

Mikati After Talks with Berri: Priority for Stability at the Head of the Army

Negotiations are still ongoing between the Speaker of Parliament and the Council of Ministers in an attempt to find a formula that keeps the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, General Joseph Aoun, in his post and thus avoids destabilizing the armed forces in the current circumstances facing Lebanon. It was against this backdrop that caretaker Prime ...