The Significance of Lebanon’s New President

by Aurélie Daher At last! The Lebanese parties finally decided on October 31 to give the country a new president, after the position had been vacant since the last president, Michel Sleiman, left office in May 2014. The country thus… Continue Reading

Hezbollah and Lebanon’s Presidential Non-Election

by Aurelie Daher For two years exactly on May 25 next the presidency of Lebanon has remained vacant. On two previous occasions, the “country of cedars” has already remained without a head of state: for slightly more than a year… Continue Reading

Saudi Arabia is Pissed: What Are the Risks for Lebanon?

by Aurélie Daher It’s official: Saudi Arabia has declared open war on Lebanese Hezbollah. On March 2, the Gulf Cooperation Council, which gathers the six monarchies of the Arab Gulf (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and… Continue Reading

France and Iran Are Back to Business

by Emma Scott After a decade of wrangling over the nuclear program, President Rouhani found himself in Italy and France last week in search of business in the automotive, transportation, hydrocarbon, and industrial sectors. That Rouhani choose to visit Paris… Continue Reading

Wikileaks Strikes Again: Saudi Meddling in Lebanon

by Aurelie Daher Last Saturday morning, Al-Akhbar, a Lebanese daily opposed to the West- and Saudi-friendly March 14 movement, once again helped Wikileaks disseminate material, this time with 70,000 diplomatic cables from the Saudi foreign ministry. And nearly half a… Continue Reading