This Sunday, the residents of Metn will head to the polls for municipal elections. For the first time in years, the people of this district have a real and meaningful chance to break free from a long-standing cycle of neglect, mismanagement, and decline. This is more than just an election; it is a turning point.

Often referred to as the “heart of Lebanon,” Metn is not just central in location; it’s central to the country’s identity, economy, and future. It’s the largest district in Lebanon after Beirut in terms of population, and it plays host to major corporations, vital infrastructure, tourism assets, and some of the nation’s most prestigious educational institutions. And yet, despite its potential, Metn has been languishing. Basic services are failing. Roads, waste management, and public utilities are in disrepair. Entire coastal areas have been turned into massive dumping grounds for garbage.

Worse still, this deterioration has not happened by accident. It’s the result of political monopolization where one faction has consolidated power over local municipalities and the Metn's Union of Municipalities, turning what should be institutions of public service into vehicles for patronage. Development projects are distributed not based on need or fairness, but on loyalty and political allegiance. Balanced and sustainable growth has been sacrificed in favor of favoritism and short-term political gains.

But change is possible. As Lebanon looks toward a new phase of potential progress and renewal, Metn must not be left behind. Real transformation begins not in Parliament or presidential palaces, but in city halls and village councils. Sunday’s vote could mark the beginning of that transformation.

It’s time to break the chains of political tutelage. It’s time to put an end to the outdated notion that municipalities are the personal fiefdoms of this or that political leader. It’s time to reject the idea that municipalities should function as electoral machines for parties, or worse, as tools of division and control. Municipalities are local governments with substantial authority and a clear mission: to serve people and place. Nothing more, nothing less.

That is why the Kataeb Party, alongside its allies and active local forces in villages and towns across the district, is working to rally local communities throughout Metn. Their goal is clear: to pull the district out of the darkness of stagnation and back into the light of progress and growth. At the very least, Metn deserves to reclaim its golden age, when it was considered one of Lebanon’s brightest jewels.

This Sunday, the choice could not be starker. The people of Metn will be deciding between two paths: continuing down the same road of decline, or turning the page and moving toward a future rooted in transparency, fairness, and competent governance.

It’s a rare moment. It’s a serious opportunity. And it’s entirely in the hands of Metn’s voters.

This is the English adaptation of an editorial originally published on Kataeb.org.