Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) MP and Chairman of the Finance and Budget Committee, Ibrahim Kanaan, at the press conference in Jdeideh. (Credit: Screenshot of the live broadcast on his Facebook page)
Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) MP Ibrahim Kanaan announced Wednesday a new initiative aimed at reviving dialogue between the party and the parliamentarians who have either left or been excluded from it.
The announcement comes amid a significant exodus of dissenting parliamentarians from the FPM, which was founded by former President Michel Aoun. The departures are largely due to disagreements with Aoun's son-in-law, Gebran Bassil, who now leads the party. Last week, Simon Abi Ramia, a key party figure, left the FPM, following the recent dismissal of Alain Aoun, the former president's nephew, and Elias Bou Saab, the vice president of Parliament.
Kanaan's initiative, presented during a press conference at his office in Jdeideh (Metn district) and streamed live on his Facebook page, includes five main points.
The first calls for reversing the recent exclusions and resignations. Kanaan also recommended ending the ongoing media conflict between what he describes as members of the "same house" and proposed a one-week period to resolve disputes. Finally, he advocated for reforms to the party's decision-making process to enhance member participation and called for a reassessment of the FPM parliamentary bloc's major political and national priorities.
