MP Okais declares he will not run in upcoming elections
2/2/2026 11:28:00 AM
MP George Okais announced on his Facebook account that he will not run in the upcoming parliamentary elections. He wrote:
“After eight years of parliamentary work during one of the most delicate and difficult periods Lebanon has experienced, one reaches a moment of reflection. This moment does not shake my convictions but seeks the most suitable position from which to continue defending them.
Changing position is not a retreat from a path, nor a devaluation of experience. At times, it may even express commitment to that path and a belief that change, when freely chosen, can revitalize the struggle and give it new momentum.
Today, I face this moment, evaluating my parliamentary experience that I have lived without flattery or compromise, without any retreat from principle, and with full dedication to both formal legislative work and public service in all its dimensions. Based on this assessment, and far from showcasing achievements or justifying failures, I announce my decision not to run in the upcoming parliamentary elections.”
He added:
“I do this with pride in my affiliation with the Lebanese Forces and the Strong Republic bloc, which for me represented a clear, sovereign framework and a political path that I am proud to have been part of.
I extend my deep gratitude to Zahle and its districts, to the people who trusted me in 2018 and 2022, out of conviction and faith in a clear political line.
I affirm calmly and firmly that this decision does not mean stepping away from public life, nor abandoning the struggle, but rather a conscious repositioning to serve the same values from another role. I believe that battles do not end with a change of positions, and defending the rule of law and freedoms does not always require a parliamentary seat, but a living conscience and a constant readiness to pay the price for one’s stance.
I will remain where I have always been:
On the side of the rule of law,
On the side of individual freedoms,
On the side of a sovereign, free, and independent Lebanon,
Fighting for a federal, neutral, capitalist country
Where the state is managed through institutions,
Where only the law prevails,
And accountability rules.
This decision is not the end of a stage, but a renewal of self, a correction of the path, and a clarification of objectives.
Until we meet again… where the mission continues, stronger than ever.”
“After eight years of parliamentary work during one of the most delicate and difficult periods Lebanon has experienced, one reaches a moment of reflection. This moment does not shake my convictions but seeks the most suitable position from which to continue defending them.
Changing position is not a retreat from a path, nor a devaluation of experience. At times, it may even express commitment to that path and a belief that change, when freely chosen, can revitalize the struggle and give it new momentum.
Today, I face this moment, evaluating my parliamentary experience that I have lived without flattery or compromise, without any retreat from principle, and with full dedication to both formal legislative work and public service in all its dimensions. Based on this assessment, and far from showcasing achievements or justifying failures, I announce my decision not to run in the upcoming parliamentary elections.”
He added:
“I do this with pride in my affiliation with the Lebanese Forces and the Strong Republic bloc, which for me represented a clear, sovereign framework and a political path that I am proud to have been part of.
I extend my deep gratitude to Zahle and its districts, to the people who trusted me in 2018 and 2022, out of conviction and faith in a clear political line.
I affirm calmly and firmly that this decision does not mean stepping away from public life, nor abandoning the struggle, but rather a conscious repositioning to serve the same values from another role. I believe that battles do not end with a change of positions, and defending the rule of law and freedoms does not always require a parliamentary seat, but a living conscience and a constant readiness to pay the price for one’s stance.
I will remain where I have always been:
On the side of the rule of law,
On the side of individual freedoms,
On the side of a sovereign, free, and independent Lebanon,
Fighting for a federal, neutral, capitalist country
Where the state is managed through institutions,
Where only the law prevails,
And accountability rules.
This decision is not the end of a stage, but a renewal of self, a correction of the path, and a clarification of objectives.
Until we meet again… where the mission continues, stronger than ever.”