The head of the "Free Patriotic Movement," MP Gebran Bassil, has repeatedly confirmed his intention to "purify" the movement from opponents and troublemakers, mentioning that "Jezzine must remain the fortress of the movement." He emphasized that "the movement and Lebanon are built on positive energy," which serves as a good example of his assertions. Bassil added, "There are white hands and rough hands in the movement, and when someone dirties their hands within the movement, they become outside of it."
He stated, "We in the movement do not recognize dirty hands, hearts, or morals, and we hope to educate our youth according to the values we were raised on. It is natural that we stand against any foreign or sectarian presence."
Today, following Bassil's dismissal of prominent leaders, new names are being mentioned in the Free Patriotic Movement's meetings as candidates for "expulsion," including Aoun (the most likely), Nicolas Sehnaoui, Ibrahim Kanaan, and others.
It has also been reported that the Bkirki MP was informed two weeks ago of the need to appear before the arbitration council. It turned out that Aoun refused to comply, considering the matter a farce. He wrote a strong letter justifying his reasons for not appearing, stating that the party lacks democratic performance and is leaning toward becoming a party similar to dictatorial ones, and he rejects such practices. He called for a comprehensive evaluation of the previous phase, which implies condemnation of Bassil, as opponents accuse him of the movement's decline.
Even Aoun felt that after writing this letter, Bassil might react, possibly making a decision to expel him. He conveyed to some friends that he is convinced Bassil wrote his expulsion decision from the movement. However, Aoun relies on strong support due to his family ties to General Michel Aoun and his status as a key figure within the movement, as he told "Warda" website.
