MP Ibrahim Kanaan resigns from Free Patriotic Movement

MP Ibrahim Kanaan of the Strong Lebanon bloc on Wednesday announced his resignation from the Free Patriotic Movement led by MP Jebran Bassil.

Kanaan had on August 14 announced an initiative aimed at “unifying the ranks” of the FPM.

Kanaan had been recently expelled from the FPM’s political council along with other members due to “their absence from meetings for more than three times without an excuse.”

“I pledge to the residents of Northern Metn, FPMers, Aounists and supporters that I will keep endorsing the principles that we were raised on and that their concerns will remain my concerns,” Kanaan said in his resignation statement on Wednesday.

Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab and MP Alain Aoun have been recently expelled from the FPM. MP Simon Abi Ramia meanwhile resigned from the Movement on August 7, decrying FPM chief Jebran Bassil’s “unilateralism.”

Media reports have recently said that Aoun, Abi Ramia, Kanaan and Bou Saab might soon form a new parliamentary bloc along with a number of independent MPs.

While the dissidents have been accused of violating the FPM’s policies and bylaws, they have accused Bassil of seeking to monopolize decisions and eliminate opponents.