Kataeb party leader Samy Gemayel during the launch of his party's election campaign Sunday. (Credit: @samygemayel)
BEIRUT — Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel launched his party's campaign for upcoming legislative elections on Sunday, assuring that it is a “part of the change” to which the Lebanese aspire, many of whom accuse the ruling class of corruption and incompetence.
Here’s what we know:
• In a speech delivered at the Forum de Beyrouth, the Christian leader, who wants to spearhead the opposition, said that “the solution lies in the right choice and accountability.”
• Taking aim at the ruling class four years after the last parliamentary elections and six years after the Meerab agreement concluded in 2016 between the Lebanese Forces and the Free Patriotic Movement allowed Michel Aoun to become president, Gemayel said, “They are leaving a country collapsed and handed over to Hezbollah.”
• “They destroyed our lives and our economy, undermined the resilience of the Lebanese, weakened the Lebanese lira and spent our money,” Gemayel continued, adding, “They could have spared us this if they had agreed to hold early legislative elections.” The Kataeb leader repeatedly demanded legislative elections be brought forward in the wake of the Oct. 17, 2019, protest movement, describing such polls as the only way to “get rid of the cartels in power.”
• Gemayel also sought to emphasize the length of his commitment to the opposition. “We had a problem with this class long before the protest movement,” he explained, claiming to present “a sovereign project” to unify the ranks against the ruling class. “Change requires sacrifice, potential and a clear vision,” he said.
• “Our project is complete and accessible to everyone,” he continued. “In order to move Lebanon to a new phase, we must make the right choice and those who made mistakes against the people must be held accountable,” he said. “It is possible to make a change, to save Lebanon, to regain our welfare and economic strength if we have faith …. Today, the … revolution will be in the ballot box.”
• In early February, Gemayel had announced that his party would support the candidacy of Majd Harb, son of former MP and minister Boutros Harb, in the Batroun District. “We had a natural candidate [for one of the two seats in Batroun] which is our comrade Samer Saadeh, but the circumstances of the battle dictated certain sacrifices so that we could win the competition,” he explained. Saadeh, who occupied the Maronite seat of Tripoli between 2009 and 2018, is the son of Georges Saadeh, former president of the Kataeb.
• Batroun District is part of the North Lebanon III constituency, which also includes the districts of Zghorta (three Maronite seats), Bcharre (two Maronite seats) and Koura (three Greek Orthodox seats). With an overwhelming Christian majority, this constituency is seen as the one that will give a foretaste of the highly anticipated presidential election scheduled for October. It is also the stronghold of serious presidential candidates, such as FPM leader Gebran Bassil, LF leader Samir Geagea, and Marada party leader Sleiman Frangieh. Aware of the nature of the competition in this region, Gemayel described the campaign there as the “mother of battles,” calling on his supporters in Batroun to “deal with Majd Harb, and support him, as if he were one of their comrades.”