Samir Geagea, the head of the Lebanese Forces party, reiterated that "the candidate of the Resistance will never be able to reach the presidency. We must push for the release of the presidential election and adhere to democracy, bringing the game back to its natural place inside the parliament. Lebanon needs a president who possesses a sovereign personality, whose loyalty is only to the homeland." He emphasized "the necessity of addressing the issue of refugees in Lebanon, as it has shifted from a humanitarian issue to a sovereignty matter."
Geagea's statements came during his meeting with the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Ambassador Joanna Wronecka, accompanied by political advisor Michel Seghian, in the presence of Central Council member Marc Saad. The discussions revolved around the political and economic developments in the country.
Geagea pointed out "the need to address the refugee situation in Lebanon, considering it has transformed from a humanitarian issue into a sovereignty matter, requiring serious attention from all stakeholders, starting from the Lebanese government to donor countries and organizations, to treat it with the urgency and emergency it deserves to prevent its worsening and reaching an undesirable outcome." He clarified that "it has become necessary for those concerned to seriously reassess the topic of Syrian refugees in Lebanon and leverage regional developments to reach a comprehensive solution regarding their return."
Regarding the presidential matter, Geagea viewed that "the chances of the Resistance candidate are not as some are trying to portray and promote since he does not possess the necessary local support to take the presidency. The support he has is primarily based on limited external efforts. Therefore, some are obstructing the elections while waiting for these efforts to alter the internal realities, but this is a far-fetched hope, and their candidate will never be able to succeed. Hence, we must pressure them to release the presidential election and adhere to democracy, bringing the process back to its constitutional place within the parliament."
He asserted that "Lebanon needs a president who possesses a sovereign personality, whose loyalty is only to the homeland, who does not yield to pressures, and who only adheres to the constitution and the higher national interests. Such a personality is capable of restoring the state's prestige and sovereignty over its entire territory, which could, for instance, help regulate the borders and prevent security incidents like those we have witnessed recently in the south."
Geagea expressed regret "regarding the postponement of municipal and electoral elections and the opponents' resort to obstructing them, beginning from the parliament," noting that "the ball is now in the government's court, which must convene the electoral bodies to conduct this election as soon as possible, given its significance for citizens’ daily lives."
