Kataeb leader Sami Gemayel chairs a meeting at the party headquarters. (Credit: NNA/File photo)
BEIRUT — Kataeb leader Sami Gemayel accused Hezbollah on Sunday evening of sabotaging the country's presidential election, adding that he was "confronting" a "coup" by Hassan Narallah's party.
Lebanon has been without a president since Michel Aoun's term in office ended on Oct. 31. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Hezbollah's ally, has not called for an electoral session to elect a president since the last failed session on June 14.
In an interview with Al Jadeed on Sunday, Gemayel added: "We entered into the process of imposing a president and this matter is a continuation of a coup carried out by [Hezbollah] to take control of the country."
"We will use the institutions, the media, our relations in Lebanon and abroad, and all peaceful and popular means to stop the coup. Hezbollah will witness this. We moved from a phase of trying to find solutions to one of confrontation against the coup. We are now in a confrontation phase," Gemayel said.
Hezbollah and Berri's Amal Movement back Marada Movement leader Sleiman Frangieh as their preferred presidential candidate. Hezbollah has repeatedly called for a dialogue around Frangieh's candidacy, but this call has been rejected by the opposition. During previous electoral sessions, Hezbollah and Amal MPs left Parliament after the first round of voting, causing a loss of quorum.
Gemayel called Sunday for the formation of a broad opposition front to confront Hezbollah. He noted that Berri "will not open the doors of the parliament except to elect an ally of Hezbollah."
"We will use all possible means to prevent [Hezbollah] from taking over the country," the Kataeb leader added.
His comments come after heightened tensions last month. On Aug. 9, two people were killed in an exchange of fire between Hezbollah members and residents of the majority-Christian village of Kahaleh after a truck belonging to Hezbollah and carrying ammunition overturned in the area.
Following the incident, Gemayel had said that the "Kataeb party has moved to a new stage and that starting today, our struggle [with Hezbollah] has become existential and is no longer a traditional political struggle."
On Sunday, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea escalated verbally against Hezbollah, announcing "unlimited confrontation" against the party.