MP Elias Hankach emphasized the critical importance of the international community standing by Lebanon amid its ongoing political and economic crises. He highlighted the collaborative efforts underway to secure the election of a new president capable of guiding the country out of its prolonged impasse.

In an interview with Voice of Lebanon, Hankach confirmed that communication with all parliamentary blocs is ongoing ahead of the presidential voting session, noting the growing support for Army Commander General Joseph Aoun’s candidacy.

"We are seeing a rapid increase in his backing. However, in Lebanon, nothing is ever final. Keeping communication channels open allows us to consolidate the broadest possible support for the Army Commander, given his leading position," he stated.

"The Kataeb Party does not accept a president being imposed from abroad. However, if Lebanon’s interests align with external ones, that is positive. We are in dire need of regaining the trust of countries in Lebanon by restoring its political stability. Therefore, selecting individuals with the necessary qualities to instill confidence both domestically and internationally is crucial."

"What we need is a president who commands the trust of both the Lebanese people and the international community—a president with experience in governance and crisis management, and one with no suspicions of corruption or unclear issues," he said.

"Today, we have a real opportunity to rebuild this country on new and solid foundations. We are certainly facing a difficult transitional period, but we must endure and elect a president who commands authority and respect over all institutions, protects the constitution, and leads national reconciliation and dialogue to address our concerns," he added.

Hankach pointed out that some political forces are adopting a policy of "buying and selling" in constitutional matters, lamenting the opacity of the stance of both Hezbollah and the Amal Movement.

"We don’t know what the Shiite duo wants, and Speaker Nabih Berri’s main concern is reconstruction. His excuse for not supporting the army commander is the need for a constitutional amendment, but we cannot choose when to abide by the Constitution based on our interests."

Acknowledging the complexities of Lebanon’s fragmented political landscape, Hankach pointed to the common ground shared by various blocs and parties.

"There is a foundation of shared interests with every parliamentary bloc and political party. We are working to identify these commonalities and are actively developing specific scenarios to ensure that tomorrow’s session results in the election of a president, rather than being disrupted," he explained.

The MP also underscored the necessity of maintaining open dialogue with all political factions, emphasizing that this approach is essential to building the consensus required to elect a president.

"Preventing the session from being derailed is imperative. This requires effective communication with all blocs to ensure that our collective efforts bear fruit," he concluded.