The dispute between Free Patriotic Movement chief Gebran Bassil and Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab has resulted in the latter’s official separation from the FPM, a media report said.

“Bou Saab, who was one of the most prominent hawks of the FPM’s parliamentary bloc over the past years and a key adviser to ex-president Michel Aoun, is no longer part of the FPM,” senior FPM sources told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.

“He has not participated in the parliamentary bloc’s meetings for several months now and the relation ended after deep disagreements that led to this separation,” the sources added.

Other sources informed on the FPM’s deliberations meanwhile told the daily that “the media speculation about an expulsion of Bou Saab are inaccurate,” stressing that “there is no expulsion in the FPM.”

“But a statement was issued and the senior officials received it, noting that Bou Saab was no longer part of the FPM,” the sources added, pointing out that “the resolution is ratified by the FPM’s president and this is what happened.”