The Head of Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea. (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT — Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea announced Tuesday that his party's candidate for the Maronite seat of Tripoli, Elie Khoury, will be allied with former Justice Minister Achraf Rifi on his "Rescue of a Nation" list in North Lebanon II for the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for May 15. This constituency includes Tripoli (eight seats, five Sunni, one Maronite, one Alawite and one Greek Orthodox), Miniyeh (one Sunni seat) and al-Danniyeh (two Sunni seats).
Here’s what we know:
• "After all that has been done, after the efforts and support of all our relatives and friends,” Geagea said, “the LF executive committee has decided to nominate our friend Elie Khoury for the Maronite seat, who will be our friend's ally, a man of principle who has never changed, General Achraf Rifi." His words came in a speech relayed via his Twitter account.
• A month ago, Rifi told L'Orient-Le Jour that he would try to form a list that "will only include new figures embodying change.” He also said he was open to proposals from the Lebanese Forces.
• Rifi, who portrays himself as anti-Hezbollah, is hoping he will benefit from head of Future Movement Saad Hariri’s decision not to run in the upcoming elections. The head of the LF regularly criticizes Hezbollah and his rival Christian party, the Free Patriotic Movement, which is allied with Hezbollah.
• In the 2018 parliamentary elections in the North Lebanon II district, Future Movement won five seats, Najib Mikati’s Azm party won four seats and two seats were won by the “National Honor” party, which included MP Jihad al-Samad.