Lebanese Forces party leader Samir Geagea stresses expats’ right to vote, rejects their exclusion from national affairs

MAARAB, Lebanon — During a meeting with a delegation from Aaqoura, Lebanon, Lebanese Forces party leader Samir Geagea firmly rejected any attempt to exclude Lebanese expatriates from national affairs, emphasizing their crucial role in Lebanon’s strength.

Geagea highlighted that Lebanon’s strength lies in its land, dignity, will, freedom, and its widespread diaspora.

He stressed that without the diaspora’s support in recent years, many more Lebanese would have been forced to leave the country, and survival would have become nearly impossible.

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Geagea condemned any efforts to marginalize expatriates from national decision-making, calling such attempts entirely unacceptable.

He noted that the Lebanese Forces, alongside allies in the Strong Republic bloc, Kataeb Party, reformist groups, Progressive Socialist Party, National Moderation bloc, as well as independent MPs, are fully committed to restoring expatriates’ voting rights through legal and democratic channels.

He accused certain political forces, who lack majority support among expatriate voters, of conspiring to disenfranchise the diaspora, warning that such efforts would backfire.

Geagea pointed out that while 150,000 expatriates have registered to vote, nearly one million Lebanese abroad remain on voter lists.

He framed the issue as a fundamental moral and national stance, not about political gains but about maintaining the bond between Lebanon and its diaspora.

“Either we preserve their connection to their homeland,” Geagea said, “or we tell them: leave, you have no ties to us, and we have none to you.”