Free Patriotic Movement

Parliamentary Committees: Operating Guidelines and Political Context

Scheduled for October 22, the upcoming elections of parliamentary committees — typically a routine affair — will this year be a focal point of political maneuvering amid rising tensions within the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM). For the FPM, the stakes are high, as the elections will decide whether key figures — Ibrahim Kanaan (Chair of ...

Bassil Won’t Be Running in the Next General Elections

Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) chief Gebran Bassil will not run again in the next parliamentary elections, in line with new regulations he has introduced as part of a “corrective move” within the party, according to FPM circles. The move is aimed at ensuring a smooth transition from the cult of the founder, Gebran’s father-in-law and former ...

FPM: Kanaan Chose to Resign Through the Media

The Free Patriotic Movement declared on Wednesday that “MP Ibrahim Kanaan chose to submit his resignation from the party through the media, despite an appointment scheduled with him next Friday,” announcing that “the movement will issue detailed statements later on this issue.” On its official Facebook account, the FPM also revealed that ...

The Last to Leave Switches the Lights Off...

This sentence was once scrawled along the road to Buenos Aires airport. At that time, amid a crisis, Argentina was experiencing a massive wave of emigration. In Lebanon, innovation is in full swing. While the last Lebanese hasn't quite left yet (but we’re getting there), the power has been shut off. Today, the state’s electricity, or ...

Kanaan Addresses Unity Amidst FPM Internal Strife

Strong Lebanon MP, Ibrahim Kanaan, held a press conference on Wednesday to clarify what he described as “media statements, interpretations and leaks, as well as questions about my position”. In the wake of the expulsion of MP Alain Aoun on August 1 and MP Simon Abi Ramia’s resignation on August 7, rumors have swirled about Kanaan’s ...

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 ...

Hezbollah Wary of Bassil's Actions

Political circles close to Hezbollah have reportedly revealed the "reproaches" of Hassan Nasrallah, the group's Secretary General, with regard to the recent steps taken by Gebran Bassil, leader of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM). "Reducing the number of MPs in the bloc on the eve of the presidential election would weaken the FPM's position," ...

Abi Ramia Resigns from FPM, Reveals Behind the Scenes Truths

“Every leader whose legitimacy stemmed from their history, present, and contribution to the movement over four decades became a target for exclusion because they did not fit the specifications of the inheritance project intended for the ‘new movement’, Abi Ramia said. Abi Ramia reflected on his loyalty to former President, Michel Aoun, ...

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 ...

Bassil Expected to Oust MP from FPM

The head of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) Gebran Bassil is expected to issue a decision excluding MP Alain Aoun from the party without referring him to the 'Council of Sages', according to MTV. Aoun, who is the nephew of FPM founder and former President, Michel Aoun, was Bassil’s rival in the elections to the party’s presidency in ...

Will Dissensions Within the FPM Threaten Its Future?

Disputes within the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), initiated by its leader Gebran Bassil, have become public and widely discussed. Bassil’s efforts to undermine and eliminate party cadres have intensified, especially after the 2022 elections and a significant decline in the party’s Christian representation—from nearly 70% in 2005 to less ...

Geagea: FPM is Responsible for the Crisis in Lebanon

The leader of the Lebanese Forces (LF), Samir Geagea, held the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and its ally, the Amal-Hezbollah duo, "responsible for the crisis ravaging the country," hence the need to "confront them now that the nature and causes of this collapse are known to all Lebanese." In a speech delivered at the annual dinner for Radio Free ...