Samy Gemayel, the leader of the Kataeb party. (Credit: ANI file photo)
BEIRUT — Samy Gemayel, head of the Kataeb Party, announced Monday that his party will support Majd Harb, son of the former minister and MP Boutros Harb, who is running in the Batroun district in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Here’s what we know:
• "It is important that we merge our efforts to increase the likelihood of our success in this matter,” Gemayel said, referring to the upcoming parliamentary elections, during a press briefing held after Kataeb’s weekly meeting, “Which prompted us to carry out contacts with a person who is close to us, in this case, our friend Majd Boutros Harb.”
• The district of Batroun is part of the third electoral district in North Lebanon, which also includes the districts of Zgharta and Bsharri. This constituency is the stronghold of top potential presidential candidates including the Free Patriotic Movement head Gebran Bassil, the head of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea and the head of Marada Sleiman Frangieh. Gemayel called the parliamentary battle in Batroun "the mother of all battles," and called on his Batroun supporters to "cooperate with Majd Harb, and support him, as if he were one of their comrades.”
• On his end, Harb thanked Kataeb for supporting his candidacy, saying he agrees with the party on many issues. "We also agree that the battle is not easy," he said, adding that "the confrontation with those who provide cover for Hezbollah starts from Batroun," in reference to Bassil, whose party has been Hezbollah's ally since 2006.
• In the previous parliamentary elections in 2018, the Kataeb party earned only 3 seats in parliament including their leader’s. The party’s MPs along with other MPs resigned from parliament following the Aug. 4, 2020, Beirut port explosion.