{{Short description|Lebanese politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | native_name = سيمون ابي رميا | image = Simon abiramia.jpg | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|6|3|df=y}} | office1 = [[Lebanese Parliament|Member of the Lebanese Parliament]] | constituency1 = [[Byblos District|Byblos]] ([[2009 Lebanese general election|2009]], [[2018 Lebanese general election|2018]], [[2022 Lebanese general election|2022)]] | term_start1 = 7 June 2009 | children = 3 (Paul, Mathieu, and Lucas) | party = [[Free Patriotic Movement]] (until 2024) | other_party = [[Strong Lebanon]] (2018–2024) | spouse = [[Fabienne Blineau]] (divorced) }}
'''Simon Abi Ramia''' ({{Langx|ar|سيمون ابي رميا}}; born 3 June 1965) is a Lebanese politician and ex-member of the [[Strong Lebanon]] bloc in the [[Parliament of Lebanon|Lebanese parliament]]. He was close to president [[Michel Aoun]] and was affiliated with the [[Free Patriotic Movement]]. He was also the chairman of the parliamentary commission of youth and sports.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Member of Strong Lebanon bloc MP Simon Abi Ramia to MTV: The FPM was the most in line with itself, as it did not engage in tactics and did not change its opinion like the Lebanese Forces; what does the French initiative have to do with Nawaf Salam? |url=https://www.mtv.com.lb/en/news/articles/1292589/member-of-strong-lebanon-bloc-mp-simon-abi-ramia-to-mtv-the-fpm-was-the-most-in-line-with-itself,-as-it-did-not-engage-in-tactics-and-did-not-change-its-opinion-like-the-lebanese-forces;-what-does-the-french-initiative-have-to-do-with-nawaf-salam? |access-date=2022-09-02 |website=MTV Lebanon |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=MPs 2018 – The Free Patriotic Movement |url=https://www.fpmlb.org/mps-2018/ |access-date=2022-09-02 |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Early life and family == Simon Abi Ramia was born on 3 June 1965 in the village of [[Ehmej]], [[Byblos District]] to Farid Abi Ramia, who died in 2003, and Nour Hardan. He continued his primary and complementary studies at the schools of the Christian Brothers" and his secondary studies at the [[Collège Mont La Salle]]. He traveled to France in 1983 and received a baccalaureate in management from the [[University of Paris 1]] and a diploma of Optometry in [[École supérieure d'optique|L'École Supérieure d'Optométrie]] in [[Paris]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Simon Abi Ramia – The Free Patriotic Movement |url=https://www.fpmlb.org/wppolitic_team/simon-abi-ramia/ |access-date=2022-09-02 |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Career == Abi Ramia became active after [[Michel Aoun|Michel Aoun's]] disputed tenure as prime minister in 1998. He co-founded a group of militants believing in the liberating action of General Michel Aoun, the Rassemblement pour le Liban (Rally for Lebanon) which followed the agenda of general Aoun.<ref name=":0" />
The Lebanese effort in [[France]] was brought together by this gathering to bring together Lebanese organisations which are active in the different cities of France. He was elected president of this gathering in 1989. In 2005, Abi Ramia joined General Michel Aoun's return to [[Lebanon]]. He was elected president of this gathering in 1989. In 2005, Simon Abi Ramia joined General Michel Aoun's return to Lebanon after his exile.<ref name=":0" />
In September 2006, he returned to Lebanon with his family after the end of the [[2006 Lebanon War|July War]] the same year. In 2009, he presented himself for the legislative elections of the district of Jbeil and was elected as part of the [[Free Patriotic Movement|Free Patriotic Movement Bloc]]. He was once again elected during the legislative elections of 2018<ref>{{Cite web |title=2018 Lebanese Parliamentary Elections: Results & Figures". {{!}} United Nations Development Programme |url=https://www.undp.org/lebanon/publications/2018-lebanese-parliamentary-elections-results-figures |access-date=2022-09-02 |website=UNDP |language=en}}</ref> and 2022<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Political Colors of Lebanon |url=https://politicalmapping.nowlebanon.com/ |access-date=2022-09-02 |website=The Political Colors of Lebanon}}</ref> and took leadership of the Youth and Sports Committee in parliament. Three months after his election, he was appointed president of the parliamentary friendship group between Lebanon and France.<ref name=":0" />
On 8 August 2024, Abi Ramia resigned from the [[Free Patriotic Movement]] citing "individualism" within the party and disagreements with its leader [[Gebran Bassil]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1422994/mp-simon-abi-ramia-left-the-free-patriotic-movement.html | title= MP Simon Abi Ramia left the Free Patriotic Movement | date= 7 August 2024 | publisher = L'Orient-Le Jour}}</ref>
== Personal life == Abi Ramia married French politician [[:fr:Fabienne Blineau|Fabienne Blineau]] in 1997 but are divorced since 2017. They had 3 children together; Paul, Mathieu, and Lucas.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Battah |first=Habib |date=13 January 2014 |title=Husband and wife MPs |url=https://www.beirutreport.com/2014/01/husband-and-wife-mps.html |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Beirut Report |language=en-US}}</ref>
== References == <references />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abi Ramia, Simon}} [[Category:1965 births]] [[Category:21st-century Lebanese politicians]] [[Category:Free Patriotic Movement politicians]] [[Category:Lebanese Maronite politicians]] [[Category:Living people]]