Senior Kataeb official and former minister Elie Marouni said Sunday that the municipal elections in Zahle should be seen as a developmental race aimed at improving the city, not a clash of political animosity.

“Yes, there is competition, but it’s for Zahle’s sake,” Marouni told MTV, as the Bekaa Valley city witnesses a tightly contested race between two main electoral lists.

Marouni confirmed that attempts to form a joint list with the Lebanese Forces fell through after extensive negotiations.

“There were talks, outreach, and meetings, but we just couldn’t reach common ground with the Lebanese Forces,” he said.

Still, he emphasized that the political divergence hasn’t eroded long-standing ties.

“We bear no grudges. We and the Lebanese Forces remain comrades and brothers,” Marouni added. “Whatever the result, we’ll come together afterward. We have critical national issues ahead that require unity.”

While distancing Kataeb from the Lebanese Forces on the electoral front, Marouni drew a clear red line regarding cooperation with the Popular Bloc, led by Myriam Skaff.

“We cannot be on the same list as Myriam Skaff,” he said. “In this case, she’s been tacked on without influence, and there’s been no communication between us.”

Marouni described the ballot box as a potential wildcard in the race, saying that early assessments indicate a near-equal division of support between the two lists.

Pushing back against any questions about his party’s national credentials, Marouni insisted both lists are sovereign, but underlined Kataeb’s historic leadership on that front.

“Both are sovereign lists, but no one can outbid the Kataeb Party when it comes to sovereignty and sacrifices for Lebanon,” he said.

He ended by urging Zahle’s citizens to head to the polls: “Voting isn’t just a right, it’s a duty.”