Mr. President,

Dear Secretary General,

As I write you this letter, I recognize the strange nature of this approach. Indeed, the , which is a partner of the European People's Party since November 2016, has been engaged for more than five years in a fierce opposition in , not only against the Parliamentary majority, which practically controls the entire Parliament’s seats, but also against the deadly regime in the country.

In light of the struggle against a regime that suffers from its denials and negligence, we have decided, along with some other lawmakers who are still independent, to close the parliament’s door which has become a symbol of the sterile authority and was rejected by the irritated Lebanese. This decision and resorting to political fighting outside the Parliament was imposed after the parliament’s failure in facing the acceleration of the economic collapse and the dreadful explosion that has jolted the port, led to the destruction of a large part of the city, caused the death of hundreds of victims, and wounded thousands of people, including members of our party, in particular, the party's Secretary-General Nazar Najarian who passed away at the party’s headquarters.

Facing the failure of those who have dragged Lebanon into bottom and are still controlling the country until today without ruling it, you will understand that we have considered that it is our duty to work outside the limits generally established for opposition parties. This initiative was necessary due to the paralysis, the inefficiency and even the indifference of those who control the country.

Mr. President, Lebanon is collapsing on all levels, the currency keeps falling, the Lebanese’ bank deposits are dissolving, the balance of payments is suffering from an excessive deficit, the debts are appalling, but also, in particular, the seizure of our country by an armed party that has led to the international isolation of our country and the loss of confidence in it.

In the face of this ongoing disintegration, there is until today no actual "authority" in Lebanon. Rather, there is a kind of a political parliament that is more preoccupied with its interests and aspirations than fulfilling its national obligations. The Lebanese people have lost a lot of blood and they are amazed by the amount of irresponsibility that is prevailing over the State today. Even the army chief has raised the alarm, questioning those who control the decision about the fate they save for the country.

France’s President came to Lebanon, believing that he could empower the members of what we have called a "political parliament.” The logic should have been shown to be right, but unfortunately common sense has no longer the right to quote in our country. We have tried to make it clear that nothing could be expected from those who currently control Lebanon, but the French president could not admit that the Lebanese are in a position of responsibility that allows them to despise the public interest. Even "this political parliament" has succeeded in ruling out resorting to early elections, which remain the only way for the country to free itself from the disastrous rule imposed on it.

Of course, the collapse was mainly caused by the Lebanese decision-makers, their negligence and their submission to weapons. But on the other hand, the generosity and dignity of the Lebanese cannot be ignored. They have received refugees in large numbers and have also suffered from the consequences of regional power struggles, the brutal war in Syria and the international mockery.

In search of sovereignty, the Lebanese people have revolted in 2005, but they have witnessed that those who have carried their ambition to build a sovereign State are facing a cowardly assassination before seeing others surrender and betray their principles. The Lebanese people also expressed their anger and rose up on October 17, 2019 against those who ran the country and caused the current disaster. People were oppressed, but they had always preserved the peaceful character for their movement. The Lebanese people are served by a ruling class that has deceived them, but they are brave and they continue to fight without engaging in any violence.

The despair with Lebanon and the Lebanese because of our misery from the rulers is a double and unfair punishment for a people who are trying, by all peaceful means, to regain their fate in their own hands.

In the last meeting held with the European People's Party Political Council in February 2020, decisions were issued in support of the Lebanese people’s revolution, calling for the formation of an independent government, the support for organizing early elections, and a demand for an end to Lebanon's participation, especially by , in regional conflicts.

Unfortunately, the country's leaders, in total complicity with Hezbollah, have kept the situation unchanged, which led the disaster to accelerate. Resorting to early elections remains the only democratic way available to allow the Lebanese to force change. And we will continue to fight this battle.

However, we find ourselves obliged today to call for an urgent meeting of the Political Association or the Working Group on Foreign Affairs to consider actual measures to ease the dissatisfaction of the existing authorities and provide support to the Lebanese people that have been anticipating since the peaceful uprising on October 17, 2019.

Our goal is to find, through the EPP parties and outside the existing political divisions in the member-party countries, real means to give a voice to a suffering people and a dying country. The Lebanese should no longer suffer from the repercussions of Lebanon's isolation and the lack of support.

By calling for an urgent meeting of the Political Association of the European People's Party, we need each of your parties to help us by giving us the means to educate all the capitals of your countries and encourage them to support our people to find ways to slow down the collapse and free the country from its current issues, not only for Lebanon’s interest, but also for the European countries’ interests and the world that Lebanon's decline also affects.

Sincerely,

Samy Gemayel

Kataeb Party leader

Lebanon-Beirut