Kataeb Party leader Samy Gemayel called for firm security guarantees ahead of Lebanon’s upcoming parliamentary elections, warning that free and fair voting cannot be ensured in areas where Hezbollah maintains armed influence.

“How can the State guarantee free elections in regions controlled by Hezbollah while weapons are still present there?” Gemayel asked in an interview on Télé Liban.

He said the army commander, the defense minister and the president must provide clear assurances that voters and candidates will be able to act without intimidation.

“Weapons must be brought exclusively under State authority before the elections, or at the very least the army must deploy across all Lebanese territory to reassure citizens and allow candidates to campaign freely,” he said. “This is not an unreasonable demand. It is the bare minimum required for genuine democracy.”

Gemayel criticized the current handling of the electoral process, saying the government has called on voters without clarifying the legal framework.

“How can they invite expatriates to register and run as candidates without explaining on what basis they will vote or who exactly they will elect?” he asked, accusing the Amal-Hezbollah alliance of trying to hold elections without meaningful participation from the Lebanese diaspora.

He argued that most members of parliament support allowing expatriates to vote for the full parliament, but said Speaker Nabih Berri was blocking the measure.

“This ambiguity will either create an impossible situation or lead to the cancellation of the vote altogether,” Gemayel said. “No one can explain how the majority of expatriates are supposed to travel to Lebanon within a single week just to vote.”

Beyond the elections, Gemayel offered a broad critique of Hezbollah’s political and military role, saying the group’s decisions remain dictated by Iran.

“The Shiite community is a partner and a founding component of this country. They are Lebanese like us, and we will build Lebanon together,” he said. “They must feel secure and reassured that no one is targeting them. But at the same time, Hezbollah has tied its decision-making to Iran, and what it says and does simply reflects Iranian policy.”

“As long as Iran wants to maintain a military foothold in Lebanon, Hezbollah will continue down the same path,” he added. “And when Tehran decides otherwise, Hezbollah will suddenly come to the president and say it is ready to address the issue.”

Gemayel insisted that only the Lebanese government—not any political party—has the right to determine national strategy.

“The Lebanese people do not want war. They want to try a different approach,” he said. “War never protected Lebanon. Diplomacy did—along with strong relations with the United States and friendly Arab countries, and efforts to deter Israel through international partnerships.”

“Armed resistance did not protect Lebanon,” he continued. “We tried it and it failed, even at the peak of its strength, with Hassan Nasrallah in charge and ballistic missiles at their disposal.”

He accused Iran of treating Lebanon as a disposable battleground.

“Why does Iran deal with us as if we are second-class?” he asked. “Are Lebanese expected to die for Iran while Iran is not prepared to die for the Lebanese? Are we supposed to be second-class and they first-class?”

Gemayel argued that Hezbollah cannot be addressed separately from Iran.

“There is a direct ideological connection to the Iranian regime and to the concept of the Supreme Leader,” he said. “I have no hope that Hezbollah can be convinced to break away from Iran. The problem is fundamentally doctrinal.”

He said much of the destruction Lebanon has suffered in recent years could have been avoided if the State had controlled its borders and retained sole authority over decisions of war and peace.

“Let us put the army in charge in the south and across all of Lebanon, and let diplomacy protect our borders,” he said. “That is what will safeguard the Shiite community and all Lebanese.”

“This is not a Christian position or a right-wing position,” he added. “It is a sovereign position. The Sunni prime minister also rejects wars because it is in Lebanon’s national interest. If Hezbollah had liberated Jerusalem and protected Lebanon without destroying it, we would have admitted their theory was correct. But instead their arsenal was destroyed, the south was devastated, and thousands of Lebanese were killed.”

Turning to domestic politics, Gemayel reiterated his support for President Joseph Aoun, describing the presidency as the symbol of national institutions.

“We have always stood by the president because he is entrusted with protecting the constitution and safeguarding Lebanon,” he said. “During the period of Syrian tutelage we did not support the president because he was not serving Lebanon. Today the president is once again serving the country, and it is natural for the Kataeb Party to stand by him.”

He expressed cautious optimism about the current government, while noting an unusual level of international engagement.

“The prime minister has met Emmanuel Macron, he is now in Dubai with all ministers, the president was in Spain, and the army commander is in Washington,” Gemayel said. “We have not seen this kind of scene in 20 years. There is progress on several fronts. There is no magic wand, but we are moving in the right direction.”

Still, he said reforms were moving too slowly and called for higher salaries for judges and security forces, stronger action against corruption, and genuine judicial independence.

“I am not satisfied with the pace of performance,” he said. “I don’t know if the delays are intentional or simply due to the complexity of the issues. But over time these problems must be addressed.”

Gemayel also addressed recent threats against his party, saying the Kataeb had long been targeted by violent groups.

“We cannot continue with parties that rely on violence in politics, refuse to recognize Lebanon as a final and independent state, glorify criminals, and act as mercenaries—first for the Syrian regime and now for Hezbollah,” he said.

He urged the government to take bold steps to ensure that weapons remain solely in the hands of the Lebanese Army and to ban the use of violence in political life.

On electoral alliances, Gemayel said discussions were ongoing with several parties, with priority given to reaching an agreement with the Lebanese Forces.

“There is serious dialogue with Dr. Samir Geagea and the meeting was very positive,” he said. “We are aligned on most major issues. Many details still need to be worked out, but the will to cooperate is clearly there.”

He ruled out an alliance with the Free Patriotic Movement, citing its long-standing partnership with Hezbollah.

“There is nothing personal against anyone,” he said. “But after 20 years of accumulated positions, you cannot build an electoral alliance while ignoring political realities.”

Economically, Gemayel defended his party’s refusal to vote for the State budget, saying it had been presented only 48 hours before the parliamentary vote and contained major shortcomings. He said the Kataeb had been the only party to oppose the financial policies that led to Lebanon’s economic collapse, warning early on about risks to depositors and opposing the extension of former Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh’s term.

“Our priority is ordinary people who worked their entire lives to earn their savings,” he said, pledging to continue the fight for depositors’ rights. He called for a full audit of public institutions, reforms in the public sector, and an end to wasteful spending, particularly in the electricity sector.

On Syria’s new leadership under Ahmed al-Sharaa, Gemayel said the only issue that mattered for Lebanon was respect for its sovereignty.

“What happens inside Syria is their own business,” he said. “What matters to us is their position toward Lebanon and their respect for our sovereignty.”

He insisted that no discussion of political reforms or changes to Lebanon’s system could take place before the restoration of State sovereignty and the confinement of weapons to official institutions.

Gemayel concluded the interview on a hopeful note, saying the year 2026 should mark a turning point for the country.

“Those who love Lebanon must work to make 2026 the end of the long road of suffering that began in 1975,” he said. “It is time for all of us, from every community, to live a decent life together, rebuild our country, and look forward to a better future.”