Michel Hayek in Paris. (Credit: Gilles Khoury/L'Orient-Le Jour)
Our last interview with him was in May 2020. Since then, Michel Hayek has returned to his customary rarity, speaking publicly only once a year on Dec. 31, on MTV. These appearances are dissected down to every syllable. Their ever-growing impact, with audience shares exceeding 90 percent almost systematically, has turned them into a collective ritual for many, if not a kind of annual mass, gradually building around him an almost legendary aura.We met Hayek in Paris, at an event where many sought to approach him, if only for a word, a gesture, an intuition. Despite being solicited from all sides, he agreed, calmly and serenely, to grant a second exclusive interview to L’Orient-Le Jour. The moment is particularly significant. During our first exchange, he spoke in these pages of images that, in retrospect, appeared to foreshadow the Aug. 4,...
Our last interview with him was in May 2020. Since then, Michel Hayek has returned to his customary rarity, speaking publicly only once a year on Dec. 31, on MTV. These appearances are dissected down to every syllable. Their ever-growing impact, with audience shares exceeding 90 percent almost systematically, has turned them into a collective ritual for many, if not a kind of annual mass, gradually building around him an almost legendary aura.We met Hayek in Paris, at an event where many sought to approach him, if only for a word, a gesture, an intuition. Despite being solicited from all sides, he agreed, calmly and serenely, to grant a second exclusive interview to L’Orient-Le Jour. The moment is particularly significant. During our first exchange, he spoke in these pages of images that, in retrospect, appeared to foreshadow the Aug....
While I appreciate L’Orient-Le Jour’s role in Lebanese society, I am disappointed to see such a prominent platform give weight to clairvoyance. At a time when Lebanon needs rational discourse and evidence-based reporting, elevating 'predictions' feels like a step backward. I expect more intellectual rigor from a publication of this caliber.
16 February 2026 12:25