FPM participates in its first parliamentary elections

In a drastic change in its position, the Free Patriotic Movement finally dropped its total opposition to the legitimacy of the pro-Taef Lebanese state by participating in the Baabda-Aley by-election held in mid September.

By the time this publication went to press figures about the final winner of the vacant parliamentary seat were not finalized yet even though preliminary results pointed out at the victory of Henry Helou facing FPM's candidate Hikmet Deeb.

FPM, a group of young supporters of former Army Commander Michel Aoun, was formed after the exit of Aoun into his exile in Paris in the early 1990s.

In light of this development, Interior Minister Ealis Murr "welcomed the new guest" to the political game and reiterated his ministry's impartial position and its willingness to run a smooth electoral process.

Other politicians, however, were as receptive to see the Aounists ending their boycott of the post-Taef state, which they had always depicted as an illegitimate authority.

On top of these politicians was Chouf MP Walid Jumblatt who accused the FPM and its allies, the foremost of them Nadim the son of the assassinated Lebanese Forces leader Bashir Gemayel, of provoking sectarianism during by-election.

Another schism the return of FPM to the parliamentary life was inside the Gemayel family. Former president Amin Gemayel, the brother of Bashir, and his son Metn MP Pierre, expressed their support to Helou while Nadim vowed to support Deeb.

Observers said that FPM's comeback convinced Nadim of his ability to maneuver, backed by FPM supporters, his uncle and cousin and their rank and file Phalangist supporters.

The final picture of right wing alliances is far from becoming clear. Observers say, however, that the 2003 by-election would be an experiment for the coming 2005 parliamentary elections.