Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel, rejected the claims made by Hezbollah and Amal Movement about a deceit in the process of nominating Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam during the mandatory parliamentary consultations.

He pointed out that the Kataeb bloc, along with MP Adib Abdel Massih, had informed the Prime Minister-designate of their vision for the upcoming government.

He called for facilitating the task of both the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister in forming a government of competencies to revive the country.

Gemayel, who reiterated that Lebanon is at a critical juncture in its history, emphasized that a new chapter has been opened—one that is sovereign in essence and aims to restore the state's decision-making power, where the law, constitution, equality, and partnership are implemented, far from the imposition that some have grown accustomed to.

Gemayel’s remarks came after a meeting between the Kataeb Parliamentary Bloc, including Dr. Selim Sayegh, Nadim Gemayel, Elias Hankach, and Adib Abdel Massih, and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the Parliament, as part of the non-binding parliamentary consultations.

Gemayel expressed his hope that the formation of the government would be an opportunity for revitalization and that it would be a government of high competencies.

He emphasized that Lebanon has the capacity to bring in individuals with expertise in their fields to tackle the most critical issues, pointing out that all the problems facing the country must be addressed in order to revive it.

Following the meeting with the Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam within the framework of the non-binding parliamentary consultations, Gemayel stated: "We met with Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam along with our ally, our friend Adib Abdel Massih, and we informed him that what matters to us is facilitating the tasks of both the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister, and facilitating the formation of the government as quickly as possible so that it can begin its work—this is our priority. As for the form, we leave that to the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister. We have shared our opinion with Salam and will continue to communicate in the coming weeks to discuss the details."

Gemayel, speaking on behalf of the Kataeb bloc, also noted that there are many workshops that need to be launched, including in the public sector and financial and economic reforms.

He stressed the importance of engaging with the international community, donor countries, and the International Monetary Fund, in addition to working on attracting foreign investments, as all countries aim for growth and allocate capital for investment in Lebanon.

He added: "Lebanon must move forward with digital transformation and development, converting the bureaucratic administration into a digital one, as this accelerates the work of citizens, institutions, and businesspeople. It aligns Lebanon with economic recovery and facilitates investments, in addition to enhancing infrastructure. We have a vision for every key sector; agriculture, industry, education... and for all the issues at hand. Our ideas and vision are ready, and we will present them to the Prime Minister to help revive the country."

"I repeat what I have said in the past: when someone seeks to exclude you, it means they either imprison you, exile you, or threaten you with death. But when the President of the Republic and Prime Minister call for everyone to be partners, this is not exclusion." He continued: "We have lived through exclusion, and what we see is far removed from the logic of exclusion. No one can exclude themselves and then accuse others of doing so."

He further explained: "They speak of a deception and an agreement, and I want to understand—what is the promise? What is the deception?" He clarified: "The responsibility for the nomination lies with the MPs. If no promise was made to them, how could a deception take place?"

He emphasized that this is a pivotal moment and everyone must give it a chance to succeed, stressing that no one should hinder the process through quotas.

He called for rising above this issue and helping to revive the country, provided that the same principle applies to all, and from our side, we aim to facilitate matters.

Regarding the Kataeb's participation in the government, he said: "The matter is up to the Prime Minister's vision."

He pointed out that there is a consensus that the framework of the government’s policy statement should align with the oath of office, as the policy statement cannot contradict the presidential oath.

In response to a question about MP Adib Abdel Massih joining the bloc in the consultations, he said: "We ran in the elections together with our colleague Adib Abdel Massih, who is a friend and an ally, but he preferred to join us to affirm our solidarity together in the government formation process, hoping that the opposition will join as well. What matters to us is the new beginning for Lebanon."

When asked, he reaffirmed that the Kataeb Party's position is clear. "While everyone else was afraid to speak, we were not. When everyone avoided confronting the issue of weapons and sovereignty, we were among the few who did not shy away, and this cost us a lot, as you are all witnesses to that."

He also called on everyone to refrain from polarization and tension, saying, "The people want to relax after having regained hope and do not wish to return to tensions. From here, I hope that everyone will open a new chapter based on equality, without weapons. No one is above the law—neither us nor anyone else—and no one should impose anything on anyone. This is how the country is built. If everyone wants to preserve their own gains, we will not build a country for the future."

In response to a question about the participation of Hezbollah and Amal Movement in the government, Gemayel pointed out that after all the challenges the country has faced, everyone emerged exhausted, especially the honorable Shiite community.

He explained that, for the Kataeb Party, which is deeply committed to its national identity and the wellbeing of all Lebanon, their duty as a political force is to establish a framework that fosters partnership, sovereignty, the application of the law, and equality. "We do not wish to contribute to polarization and conflict; rather, we want to reconcile Lebanon with itself. This is why we proposed a conference for frankness and reconciliation, where we can address all our concerns and engage in a dialogue to open a new chapter for Lebanon’s future. If others have a different perspective, they are free to do so, but this is our view as Kataeb."

Gemayel emphasized that the constitutional requirement for the government is to have proper representation of all sects. "I don't think anyone is in favor of forming a government without Shiite representation. Once the Shiite community is represented in the government as per the constitution, the government is considered constitutional. Whether they choose to grant it their trust or not is another matter."