Geagea Backs Canceling By-elections, Calls on Hizbullah to Hand Over Arms

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has called for canceling upcoming parliamentary by-elections to fill three vacant seats in Tripoli and Keserwan.

“Honestly, we are not enthusiastic for these by-elections. The measure is constitutional in theory, but practically the vote will take place in October, only six months away from the date of the general elections. Should the by-elections take place, they will only cost the State and people money and effort,” said Geagea in an interview with al-Hayat newspaper published Sunday.

Asked whether he is in favor of calling off the by-elections, the LF leader said: “We are with canceling the by-elections and holding the general elections, because the time interval between them is not long.”

The by-elections are aimed at filling the Tripoli Greek Orthodox seat that was left vacant after the resignation of Robert Fadel, the Tripoli Alawite seat that was held by late MP Badr Wannous and the Keserwan Maronite seat that became vacant with the election of Michel Aoun as president.

Separately, Geagea said he does not consider Hizbullah’s battles in the outskirts of Arsal and Flita a “victory.”

“It is rather one episode in the series of battles that it has been fighting for the past six years in Syria to shore up (Syrian President) Bashar al-Assad,” Geagea noted.

“What is delaying the rise of a real state (in Lebanon) is Hizbullah’s presence in the current fashion and its usurpation of the strategic decisions,” the LF leader added.

Told that Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has “dedicated the victory to all Lebanese,” Geagea said: “If Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah wants to dedicate something of value to the Lebanese, let him hand over his weapons to the Lebanese army and engage in political action, the same as we all did. This step has been overdue for 27 years now.”