Kataeb Stresses Importance of Elections, Says Won't Bow to 'Hegemony-Era Practices'

The Kataeb Party on Monday called on citizens to “prepare for the elections,” while emphasizing that it will not bow to “oppressive practices” that belong to the Syrian “hegemony era.”

“The Kataeb Party calls on citizens to prepare for the elections, which are the definite and only way to rebuild Lebanon, renew its political life and hold accountable a futile political class that has distanced itself from the state's sovereignty and people's living and social concerns,” said Kataeb in a statement issued after its politburo's weekly meeting.

It accused the ruling class of being “preoccupied with the splitting of shares, the forging of shady deals and passing arbitrary taxes without studying their economic and social impact.”

The party also pledged to the Lebanese to “continue to expose all forms of corruption, waste of public money and shady deals, no matter what the cost may be.”

“Those whose practices had failed during the hegemony era will not today succeed, even if they use all forms of pressure and frail excuses,” Kataeb added, apparently referring to its row with Justice Minister Salim Jreissati.

“This ruling class and its supporters cannot defeat those who are supported by the people,” the party went on to say.