As Lebanon faces the prospect of an expanded war with Israel, the country’s Maronite Christian community is going through transformations of its own. Its main political party, the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) of former president Michel Aoun, is rapidly being transformed into the personal fiefdom of Mr Aoun’s son-in-law, Gebran Bassil. While less dramatic than a war, this development says a great deal about the Christian community’s politics in the country, and its direction.
In 1990, after Mr Aoun had declared a war of liberation against Syrian forces in Lebanon during the country’s civil war, he regularly made speeches to the throngs standing outside the presidential palace, from where he headed a military government. One of the themes he often repeated was that he sought a new, more egalitarian Lebanon, in which prominent sectarian leaders would no longer rule.
Coming from Mr Aoun, this made sense at the time. He himself was a child of the Lebanese periphery, who gained social promotion through the country’s military – sometimes, though not always, a rare example of meritocracy in the country. Yet when Mr Aoun rejected the Taif Accord of 1989, after Lebanon’s parliamentarians had voted in favour of it in Saudi Arabia, another facet of his character came to the forefront.
His rejection seems to have been motivated by the fact that the negotiations leading to Taif had not led also to his own election as president of the republic. This was despite the fact that he had significant Maronite Christian support, had begun his campaign in 1988 by closing down illegal ports, and seemed to embody a statist project against a decade and a half of wartime militia rule.
Mr Aoun was soon defeated by the Syrians and forced into exile. When he returned to Lebanon in 2005, he was received with great enthusiasm by his supporters. The political class’s efforts to contain him and form alliances to limit his success in parliamentary elections that year only boosted his appeal. Consequently, Mr Aoun secured the largest Christian bloc in Parliament.
From that moment on, Mr Aoun revived his old ambition of becoming president. He allied himself with Hezbollah, effectively breaking up the March 14 coalition that had opposed Syria in the aftermath of former prime minister Rafic Hariri’s assassination. This had obliged the Syrians to withdraw from Lebanon, allowing Mr Aoun to return.
Mr Aoun’s alliance with Hezbollah paid off when, in 2016, the party backed his presidency, even as his main Christian rival, Samir Geagea, did the same. Mr Aoun was elected in October 2016, and immediately sought to promote Mr Bassil, both in the government and in his own Free Patriotic Movement. In August 2015, Mr Aoun supported Mr Bassil’s elevation to FPM leader, without elections being held.
Since then, Mr Bassil has purged senior party members whose ties were to Mr Aoun, not to himself. In 2022, he expelled two FPM parliamentarians, Mario Aoun and Ziad Aswad, and most recently, he expelled Elias Abou Saab from the FPM-led parliamentary bloc. In a sign he was gaining in boldness, he recently kicked out Mr Aoun’s nephew Alain Aoun, leading another prominent FPM member, Simon Abi Ramia, to resign from the party.
While there is little that's surprising in Mr Bassil’s transformation of the FPM into a version of himself –what Mr Abi Ramia called “individualism” in his resignation speech – it does provoke several thoughts.
Bassil has purged senior party members whose ties were to Aoun, not to himself
First, unlike most other Lebanese political parties, which are built around sectarian leaders, the FPM initially had a more interesting potential. Many parliamentarians of the group were people of note in their respective areas, not factotums of Mr Aoun. It appeared the FPM could become a gathering point for a mostly middle-class and lower middle-class electorate, was genuinely popular in Christian areas, and was also willing to cross sectarian lines.
Second, Mr Aoun’s past rhetoric portrayed the FPM as different than the sectarian elite against which Mr Aoun had railed in 1990. One couldn’t go too far, as the general could himself be very much a sectarian figure, but at least on the face of things the party’s constituency appeared to be less focused on sect than on a vision of the state to which its middle-class and lower middle-class supporters adhered.
Third, by removing prominent people from the FPM and intimidating the rest, Mr Bassil has taken what had been a fairly pluralistic party and turned it into one susceptible to becoming a gaggle of yes-men. That doesn’t apply to all its remaining leading members, but Mr Bassil’s message is clear: “Either work with my programme, or you’re gone.”
Fourth, in the short term, Mr Bassil’s controversial choices have alienated a significant number of voters, so that in the last elections of 2022, it was the rival Lebanese Forces Party that received a majority of Christian votes, not the FPM. As more FPM figures are forced out of the party, the party’s electorate will probably continue to be eroded.
That may not bother Mr Bassil, whose aim appears to be to create an organisation entirely loyal to himself. Yet all that this shows is how dysfunctional and undemocratic Lebanese politics has become, where retaining personal power is far more of a priority than presenting novel ideas that build constituencies.
In a way, Mr Bassil has only reinforced a sense that the Christian community remains a prisoner of the duality that led to its destruction in 1990, when the Aoun-led Lebanese Army fought Mr Geagea’s Lebanese Forces in a savage war that undermined the Maronites’ national power. The Aounists and Lebanese Forces are still around, and both are still dividing the Christian electorate.
Most disappointingly, Mr Bassil and Mr Geagea have sustained a political environment within the Christian community that leaves little room for dissenters. At a time when many Christian citizens seem to have given up on a unified Lebanese state, the community would gain by breaking out of the Aounist-Lebanese Forces headlock.
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20profile
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Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last-16 second leg
Paris Saint-Germain (1) v Borussia Dortmund (2)
Kick-off: Midnight, Thursday, March 12
Stadium: Parc des Princes
Live: On beIN Sports HD
VERSTAPPEN'S FIRSTS
Youngest F1 driver (17 years 3 days Japan 2014)
Youngest driver to start an F1 race (17 years 166 days – Australia 2015)
Youngest F1 driver to score points (17 years 180 days - Malaysia 2015)
Youngest driver to lead an F1 race (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest driver to set an F1 fastest lap (19 years 44 days – Brazil 2016)
Youngest on F1 podium finish (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest F1 winner (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest multiple F1 race winner (Mexico 2017/18)
Youngest F1 driver to win the same race (Mexico 2017/18)
'The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey'
Rating: 3/5
Directors: Ramin Bahrani, Debbie Allen, Hanelle Culpepper, Guillermo Navarro
Writers: Walter Mosley
Stars: Samuel L Jackson, Dominique Fishback, Walton Goggins
ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo 4-cyl
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Power: 190bhp
Torque: 300Nm
Price: Dh169,900
On sale: now
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Drivers’ championship standings after Singapore:
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
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UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: JAP Almahfuz, Fernando Jara (jockey), Irfan Ellahi (trainer).
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Momtaz, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
6pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,400m
Winner: Yaalail, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship Listed (PA) Dh180,000 1,600m
Winner: Ihtesham, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: Dahess D’Arabie, Fernando Jara, Helal Al Alawi.
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 2.200m
Winner: Ezz Al Rawasi, Connor Beasley, Helal Al Alawi.
ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- Margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars
- Energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- Infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes
- Many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts
