The movement of the President of the "Free Patriotic Movement," MP Gebran Bassil, towards political leaders under the banner of strengthening internal unity brought him yesterday to Bnachii, where he met with the head of the "Marada Movement," Sleiman Franjieh, after a long period of severed relations and intense attacks from Bassil and his political team against Franjieh. Following the meeting, Bassil indicated that there is substantial agreement on various ideas proposed regarding how to unite in the face of the threat of war and to work together to restore order to institutions. He expressed that he is "happy with the visit to Franjieh, and in these circumstances we can overcome barriers, and I received positive responses to the ideas I presented."
Observers of Bassil's movement noted his initiative to restore communication with those he had previously classified as opponents, particularly Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, who rejected his election to the presidency of the council, and whose political bloc and the "Amal Movement" remain in a near-constant state of conflict, as well as caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who considers Bassil’s government illegitimate. Until recently, the relationship between them was marked by fiery exchanges, alongside Walid Jumblatt, with whom he has a fluctuating relationship that includes intermittent disagreements, leading to Franjieh, whom Bassil politically demonized. Over the past year, Bassil has done everything he can to prevent Franjieh from reaching the presidency, even collaborating with his staunch opponents against Jihad Azour to block the way for the head of "Marada."
However, the question accompanying this movement is: Can it pave the way for positives, especially regarding the presidential file, which is a main item in Bassil's movement? In this context, sources close to this movement told "Al-Jumhuriya" that they view Bassil's actions from two angles. In terms of form, there is no disagreement that this movement is positive—indeed, extremely positive, particularly towards Franjieh. However, in terms of content and substance, they do not see a reason for excessive optimism, especially concerning the presidential file, as Bassil has not given any indication of even a slight change in his public position on this matter.
Simultaneously, sources from the movement confirmed to "Al-Jumhuriya" that "Bassil's actions come as a translation of the feeling of responsibility in this difficult circumstance and the necessity for partnership in building a strong internal front to confront the challenges that may be imposed on Lebanon, as well as cooperation with all parties in everything that serves Lebanon’s interest and stability." Meanwhile, a responsible source within the "Shiite Duo" expressed "apparent satisfaction" with Bassil's initiative, hoping that his visit to the head of "Marada" will lead to more than just breaking the ice between them. In contrast, opposition sources described Bassil's movement as performative, conveying to "Al-Jumhuriya" that "we do not expect anything from a movement that resembles a public relations tour, no more and no less. It will have no direct impact on contentious files, particularly the presidential file."
