ZOOM IN
MEA adds 10 new planes to its fleet
Middle East Airlines Chairman Mohammad al-Hout announced on May 4 that the stateowned airline will acquire 10 planes as part of efforts to modernize and bolster the company’s 18-strong Airbus fleet. Five of the new Airbus 321 planes, which will be equipped with modern equipment and Wi-Fi, will arrive by 2019, with the remainder to be delivered by 2021.
France elects Macron
Centrist Emmanuel Macron won the second round of France’s presidential election on May 7, defeating far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. Macron’s win was seen as a major victory for the future of a united Europe, given Le Pen’s campaign pledges to reinstitute the franc and remove France from the European Union. At 39 years old, Macron became the youngest French president in history. In an attempt to bridge gaps between the left and right, Macron appointed Édouard Phillipe of the center-right Les Républicains party to be his prime minister. Attention now shifts to parliamentary polls slated for June, where Macron’s Republic on the Move (LREM) party currently leads with a projected 29 percent of the vote, ahead of Le Pen’s second place National Front.
Trump axes FBI director amid Russia investigation firestorm
On May 9, US President Donald Trump dismissed FBI Director James Comey, who was leading a counterintelligence investigation to determine whether Trump’s associates may have coordinated with Russia in an attempt to influence the presidential election last year. It was later revealed that Trump asked Comey to shut down a federal investigation into his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, according to a memo Mr. Comey wrote after a February meeting. In response to the swirling controversy, on May 17 the US Department of Justice appointed former FBI director Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives.
Iranians back Rouhani for second term
On May 19, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani handily defeated a hard-line challenger to secure re-election, in a contest that was widely viewed as a referendum on the country’s deal to halt development of its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Following his victory, Rouhani pledged to continue opening
Iran up to the world and delivering additional freedoms to the country’s populace.
Hariri attends IslamicAmerican summit in Riyadh
On May 21, Prime Minister Saad Hariri attended the Islamic-American summit in Riyadh, which brought together 50 Arab and Muslim leaders and US President Donald Trump on his first foreign trip in office. Hariri’s invitation from Saudi Arabia generated controversy domestically over why President Michel Aoun, Lebanon’s head of state, was not invited instead. During the meeting Trump condemned Iran and Hezbollah for their destabilizing effect on the region and praised Lebanon and the Lebanese army for their role in hosting Syrian refugees and contributing to regional security in the battle against ISIS. Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah dismissed the importance of the summit and its effects on Lebanon, and called on Saudi Arabia to engage in dialogue with Iran.
Suicide bombing strikes Manchester Arena
On May 22, a suicide bombing in Manchester claimed the lives of 22 people, including several children, and left 59 injured. The attack, claimed by ISIS, came following the end of a concert by American singer Ariana Grande. In response, the UK raised the terror threat level to “critical,” its highest level, in anticipation of an imminent attack, and deployed military personnel to key sites across the country to support police. The aftermath of the attack opened a rift between British and US intelligence over US leaks about the bombing, which British police said risked compromising their investigation.
Aoun announces extraordinary parliamentary session on new vote law
On June 1, President Michel Aoun announced that an extraordinary parliamentary session would be held from June 7 - 20 (the expiration of Parliament’s mandate). This session will focus entirely on reaching a long-awaited agreement on a new electoral law. The announcement came just a week after Aoun had voiced his support for holding parliamentary elections under a controversial 1960 law if rival political parties were unable to agree on new legislation.
Salameh’s term as central bank governor extended
The Council of Ministers renewed the term of Banque du Liban (BDL) Governor Riad Salameh for an additional six years on May 24. Salameh, whose tenure as head of BDL was set to expire in July, has led Lebanon’s central bank since 1993. The move to extend Salameh’s term has been viewed as a stabilizing measure amid reports that the US Congress is seeking to impose additional financial sanctions on Hezbollah and parties affiliated with it.