Gebran Bassil

The Twelve Labors of… Parliament

Since the end of former President Michel Aoun's term in October 2022, Lebanon has been facing a period of presidential vacancy, accompanied by overlapping economic and security crises, the most recent being the war between Hezbollah and Israel. From political divisions to diplomatic visits, the Lebanese political scene has become mired in ...

Le Drian Meets with Representatives of Lebanese Political Parties

French presidential envoy to Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian has been meeting representatives of various Lebanese political parties since Wednesday morning, hours before legislators convene on Thursday to elect the long-aspired president of the Republic. The French envoy met in the morning with two MPs from the Renewal Bloc, namely Michel Moawad and ...

Samir Assaf: The ‘Parachute’ Candidate!

Critics argue that Assaf represents foreign agendas that could risk Lebanon’s sovereignty, aiming to reassert economic and political control over the country. Without local political experience or a loyal popular base, Assaf is viewed as a potential puppet of external powers, undermining vital Lebanese industries such as banking and ...

Local Responses on the Announcement of the Ceasefire

Hours after US President Joe Biden announced a proposal to end the “devastating” conflict, which has killed thousands of people over the course of nearly 14 months of cross-border fighting, the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect. Many local positions were issued after the truce, which started at 4 AM on ...

Will General Joseph Aoun’s Mandate Be Extended Again?

With only two months left until the expiration of Army Commander-in-Chief General Joseph Aoun's mandate, the same question that surfaced at the end of 2023 is once again looming: can Lebanon avoid a vacancy at the helm of its military, the sole fully operational institution in a country where others remain paralyzed amid a profound security, ...

Bassil’s Meeting with Iranian FM Envoy Raises Eyebrows

The head of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), MP Gebran Bassil, met on Tuesday with the Iranian Foreign Minister’s special envoy for Middle Eastern affairs, Mohammad Reza Sheibani. Officially, the meeting was aimed at discussing the ongoing war in Lebanon and its repercussions, according to Lebanese news agencies. However, Bassil’s meeting ...

Gebran: Give Back the Missile!

In challenging times, men are put to the test. Gebran Bassil didn’t even wait for the customary forty days after Hassan Nasrallah’s death to turn against him. He abandoned the man who was instrumental in General Michel Aoun’s rise to the presidency—the one who supported him significantly after the July war, sacrificing greatly for the Free ...

Parliamentary Committee Elections: What Is the FPM Up to?

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, ...

Former Aounists Reportedly Working to Form New Political Movement

A meeting was held last week at the residence of Naim Aoun, the nephew of former President Michel Aoun, and was attended by over 25 political figures interested in public affairs, including former Aounist officials. This meeting is considered the first step in preparing for the launch of a sovereign Lebanese national political front, following ...

FPM’s Autumnal Fall

The Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) is unraveling. Despite this breakdown, a complete collapse seems unlikely due to the steadfast loyalty of its popular base. Unfortunately, this fracturing is happening under the watch of former President Michel Aoun. Many expected that the party would lose significant support after Aoun's presidency, especially ...

Hezb Disturbed by FPM MPs Resignations

Hezbollah is reportedly concerned by the wave of resignations of Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) MPs from the party led by Gebran Bassil, the latest of whom was MP Simon Abi Ramia. Political circles close to the pro-Iranian party reveal that Hezbollah’s Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah blamed Bassil for the “breakups” within the FPM, ...

FPM Ousts Alain Aoun

The Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) expelled MP Alain Aoun. In a statement issued on Friday by the Central Committee for Media and Communication, the Council chaired by former President Michel Aoun issued two recommendations for the dismissal. The first recommendation stated that “Aoun failed to appear before the council several times and ...