Bassil says the FPM remains a major political force
Turning to the southern district of Jezzine, Bassil remarked, "Watch with us how the Jezzine chapter will end. The Lebanese Forces claim they lost the city but won the union, while I say we won most of Jezzine's municipalities, and the union result will speak for itself."
Bassil reaffirmed his party's commitment to supporting municipalities at both the local and national levels, highlighting two main priorities: the Syrian refugee issue and expanded administrative decentralization.
He dismissed suggestions of his party's decline, asserting, "The FPM remains a major political force. Claims of its end are baseless. We are significantly stronger in these municipal elections compared to 2016."
Bassil concluded by emphasizing that the FPM had once again demonstrated its presence and strength in Jezzine and South Lebanon whether through municipal councils or local mukhtars.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LBCI
16 hours ago
- LBCI
On the front line: Lebanese Army marks 80th anniversary
Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi Through the ruins of the southern town of Kfarkela, now nearly leveled by Israeli strikes, signs of life are scarce. Amid the devastation, along the buffer zone, and just meters from Israeli military positions and the fortified border wall, the Lebanese Army maintains a steady presence. From a strategic hilltop position once held by Israeli forces and reclaimed by the Lebanese Army after the withdrawal, soldiers carry out their duties with full awareness of the risks. During the current war of support, 47 Lebanese soldiers have lost their lives, and many patrols and outposts have been targeted by Israeli fire, including the Aamriyeh outpost, where one soldier was killed and others wounded in a direct strike. Soldiers stationed there carry both physical and emotional scars. One soldier, who continues his mission with shrapnel lodged in his leg, says every step he takes is a reminder of the violence they have endured. Despite these hardships, the army's mission continues. The war has altered some of the army's roles under U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701. Since the cessation of hostilities, the military, in coordination with UNIFIL, has conducted more than 5,364 missions to uphold the ceasefire. The Fifth Brigade, Fifth Intervention Regiment, and Seventh Brigade are deployed across western, central, and eastern sectors south of the Litani River. Following the recent escalation, the Second Intervention Regiment was also mobilized to reinforce the army's presence. Throughout all phases, military intelligence—which has lost personnel in the line of duty—has provided critical security support. The Lebanese Army's deployment has been essential in helping displaced residents return to their homes and lands, even in areas where destruction is severe. In Wazzani, deep near the occupied village of Ghajar, civilians remain without basic services. In Aita al-Shaab, the army supports farmers determined to cultivate their lands and protect their livelihoods. Despite limited resources, complex challenges, and a broad operational mandate that stretches across the nation, the Lebanese Army, now marking its 80th anniversary, continues to symbolize unity, resilience, and unwavering commitment to protecting the country and its people.
LBCI
16 hours ago
- LBCI
Political deliberations: Lebanese Cabinet to tackle controversial arms control
Report by Toni Mrad, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi All eyes are on the Lebanese Cabinet's upcoming session scheduled for Tuesday, with a key agenda item set to address the contentious issue of exclusive control over weapons. The session may proceed in the absence of Ministers Yassine Jaber and Mohammad Haidar, both of whom are close to Hezbollah and currently abroad on pre-scheduled travel. Ministers are expected to continue discussions on the implementation of measures to assert state sovereignty across Lebanese territory using only national military forces. A government statement is anticipated following the session, reaffirming the principle of arms exclusivity under the Lebanese state, while also calling on Israel to cease its ongoing violations, withdraw from Lebanese territory, and release detainees. Army Commander General Rodolph Haykal is also expected to attend the session to present an overview of the Lebanese Armed Forces' efforts related to this matter and outline possible next steps toward arms collection. Following Tuesday's meeting, the issue may be referred to the Higher Defense Council for the development of an appropriate implementation mechanism. Leading up to the session, internal political consultations have intensified. The latest of these took place Thursday evening at Baabda Palace, where Hezbollah MP Mohammad Raad, head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc, met with President Joseph Aoun. According to LBCI's sources, Hezbollah expressed concern over recent presidential rhetoric, particularly references to the "withdrawal of Hezbollah's weapons." The meeting, described as constructive and flexible, was focused on clarifying key points and avoiding statements that could provoke internal tension. Both parties reaffirmed the importance of Israel's adherence to the ceasefire and withdrawal from Lebanese territory. With only days remaining before the Cabinet session, Lebanese leaders are expected to continue intensive consultations in hopes of reaching common ground on the arms exclusivity clause.
Tayyar.org
18 hours ago
- Tayyar.org
Bassil from Parliament: Bank Restructuring Law Legalizes Deposit 'Clipping'… Fiscal Gap Law Must Come First
MP Gebran Bassil, President of the Free Patriotic Movement, commented following the conclusion of the parliamentary session, stating:'The law organizing the judicial judiciary contains nothing that truly ensures judicial independence. This must be said clearly—so that we, as MPs, do not deceive ourselves or mislead public opinion into believing we have passed a law that guarantees such independence.'Bassil emphasized that the law violates fundamental principles of judicial independence, as outlined by the Venice Commission at Lebanon's request.'A core principle of judicial independence is maintaining balance between the judicial authority and the individual judge—ensuring that neither dominates the other, nor the plaintiffs. This essential equilibrium is completely absent.'He also highlighted the lack of financial independence in the judiciary, asking:'How can a judge be independent when they are financially dependent—waiting for salary disbursements requiring the signature of a minister or political figure? Judges have no dedicated budget, the Supreme Judicial Council has no spending authority or decision-making power, and judges lack financial security, leaving them vulnerable to financial pressure and blackmail—as is often the case.'Addressing the election process of the Supreme Judicial Council, Bassil noted:'Only four members are elected; the rest are appointed. Moreover, judicial appointments are issued by decree and require the signatures of the President, Prime Minister, Finance Minister, and Justice Minister. Where is the independence in that? Such appointments should be issued by decision, not by decree.'He added:'Isn't it strange that judicial appointments were issued yesterday, and today Parliament is discussing judicial independence? Why wasn't the law passed first, so appointments could follow the new, independent mechanism?'Turning to the bank restructuring file, Bassil warned of a looming catastrophe:'Before deciding how to distribute losses, we must first determine their size. Yet here we are, facing a law that distributes losses without defining the method, while legalizing the banks' actions and linking this law's enforcement to the adoption of another law—the Fiscal Gap Law.'He continued:'The correct order should be to first issue the Fiscal Gap Law—or at least adopt both laws together. Passing the current law with an article stating it cannot be implemented until the Fiscal Gap Law is passed opens the door to a Constitutional Council challenge.'Bassil cautioned:'The Constitutional Council may strike down that article, leaving the law enforceable on its own. In that case, Parliament would have effectively legalized the deduction of depositors' funds through bank restructuring, without offering alternative solutions. This is why the Fiscal Gap Law must be passed first—or that article must be completely removed.'He went on to explain:'The fiscal gap stands at $72 billion—a figure that cannot be addressed without recovering funds that were transferred abroad arbitrarily and unjustly.'Bassil lamented Parliament's refusal to pass related legislation:'We submitted a draft law five years ago to authorize the recovery of these funds, but it was never approved. Today presents an opportunity to introduce a provision in the current law that empowers the Supreme Banking Authority to recover those discretionary transfers.'He added:'We doubt Parliament will approve it—because we all know who made those transfers and how, both before and after October 17, 2019. These discretionary transfers continued up until June 30, 2025.'In conclusion, Bassil stressed:'This law was passed simply to give the illusion to the international community that reform has been achieved. But the reality is different—what passed is a law whose implementation depends on another law, and therefore it is not a genuine reform law.'
