MP Gebran Bassil at 2025 Lebanese Diaspora Energy Conference: Diaspora is a source of belonging, not a “financial lifeline”

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MP Gebran Bassil said that a shared Lebanese identity unites all Lebanese, stressing that “no matter our differences, Lebanon is what brings us together,” and that the Lebanese diaspora is not merely communities scattered around the world.

Speaking at the 2025 Lebanese Diaspora Energy Conference (LDE), Bassil said it is a mistake to treat the diaspora as a seasonal file or a financial lifeline, arguing instead that it represents a source of belonging, knowledge, culture, global trust and a wide network of relationships.

He said restoring and choosing Lebanese citizenship constitutes a legal bridge to expatriates who were forced to emigrate by difficult circumstances, adding: “We want them to be spread across the world, not expatriates or migrants.”

Bassil outlined a long-term vision for the diaspora that includes establishing a national council for expatriates, enshrining their rights in the constitution, granting advantages through special legislation, improving communication with the state, launching cultural programs, incorporating diaspora studies into educational curricula, supporting knowledge production, and avoiding the use of the diaspora in short-term electoral political rhetoric.

He noted that there is a trend and implicit agreement in 2026 to suspend expatriates’ right to vote abroad, adding that a new draft law has been submitted to restore citizenship in a way that simplifies and accelerates procedures and prevents the suspension of granting citizenship.

Bassil also stressed that expatriates’ voting rights are part of redefining citizenship by giving them freedom of choice, adding that direct representation abroad is a principle endorsed by the United Nations and should not be abandoned under what he called “electoral realism.”

He announced that he has submitted a draft law to reduce fees and taxes specifically imposed on expatriates, and prepared legislation to establish a diaspora fund — an investment fund dedicated to expatriates aimed at providing investment opportunities and encouraging investment.