Lebanese Forces and Universal Syriac Union Party secure victory in Zahle municipal elections

ZAHLE, Lebanon — The Lebanese Forces and the Universal Syriac Union Party (USUP) achieved a decisive victory in Zahle’s municipal elections on Sunday, prevailing in Lebanon’s third round of local voting. Their joint electoral list, ‘Heart of Zahle’, triumphed over the rival slate ‘Vision and Decision’ by a margin of approximately 5,000 votes. 

Heart of Zahle, led by Salim Ghazaleh, garnered support from both the Lebanese Forces and the USUP. The opposing list, headed by outgoing mayor Assaad Zgheib, was backed by Kataeb Party leader Sami Gemayel and other Christian factions. 

President of the USUP Ibrahim Mrad celebrated the victory, expressing gratitude to Zahle’s Syriac community for their strong turnout. According to Mrad, Syriac voters contributed 2,200 votes to the winning slate, playing a pivotal role in the outcome. He described their participation as “a spearhead in defending the resilience of the free Christian society.” 

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea announced the results from the party’s headquarters in Maarab. Addressing supporters gathered in Zahle’s Martyrs’ Square via live broadcast, he declared, “No one has entered Zahle, and no one will enter it in the future,” lauding Zahle’s youth for what he called a significant and symbolic triumph.