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Samy Gemayel

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Sami Gemayel
NationalityLebanese
Occupation(s)Politician; Lawyer
Political partyPhalange Party

Sami Gemayel (Arabic: سامي الجميّل, born in 1980 in Lebanon) is a Lebanese politician and a senior member of the Phalange party. It was announced in February 2009 that he would be one of two Phalangists to run for a spot in Lebanon's parliament in the parliamentary elections that was to be held in June, representing the Matn District. [1] Gemayel emerged as one of five Phalangists to win in the elections throughout Lebanon, and the only one to win in the Matn District. [2]

As of 7 June 2009, he is an MP elect for the Matn District in Mount Lebanon.

Early Life

Sami was born into a prominent Maronite Catholic family in Lebanon. His grandfather, Pierre Gemayel, founded the Phalange party in 1936. [3] Sami is the son of former Lebanese President and current Phalange leader Amine Gemayel. His older brother, Pierre, was a member of parliament and government minister before his assassination on November 21, 2006. [4] Sami is also the nephew of the assassinated former President-elect Bachir Gemayel.

Gemayel holds a B.A. in Law (2003) and an M.A. in International Public Law (2005) from Saint Joseph University in Beirut. [5]

Political Activism

Sami Gemayel was the head of the student movement of the Phalange party as a law student at Saint Joseph University from 1999 to the early 2000s. His policies were considered more conservative and nationalistic than those of his father Amine Gemayel, and in 2006 he launched the Loubnanouna (Our Lebanon) Movement, separate from the Phalange Party. Sami's movement aimed at reuniting the politically divided Lebanese Christians. [6] Sami is a big critic of both Hezbollah's military wing and the Michel Aoun-led Free Patriotic Movement, the main Christian party in opposition to the American-backed ruling majority March 14 Movement. In a 2006 interview following the Israeli-Hezbollah War, Gemayel accused Hezbollah of wanting "to implement an Islamic state in Lebanon," also adding that "Hezbollah is functioning as [its own] state: political power, economical power, social allegiance, military power, a region where it imposes its laws... all the attributes of a state." [7] He has expressed hope that Lebanese Christians would reunite under similar political stances, and has stressed that the Phalange is open to all Christians. [8]

After the assassination of his brother Pierre Amine Gemayel in November 2006, Sami rejoined the Phalange Party to head the Phalangist Youth and Student Council and later the coordinator of the Phalange Central Committee. [9]

Politician

Early in 2009, the Phalange announced that it struck a deal with Michel Murr for a political alliance in the Matn District in the upcoming Lebanese parliamentary elections. They declared that Sami Gemayel would run for a seat in parliament as one of two Phalangists hoping to represent the Matn District of Lebanon, the other being Elie Karami. [10] On April 3, 2009, Sami officially announced his candidacy and again stated that "Christian unity is the only solution" to Lebanon's problems. [11]

Since his nomination in February 2009, Sami has constantly stressed the importance of all Lebanese voting in the upcoming elections. On February 21, he stated that the Christian voters would make the difference in a choice between "Lebanon, the country of Resistance and the main state to be affected by the Arab-Israeli conflict or Lebanon, the non-aligned and democratic country." [12] Gemayel has also stated that the Phalange would not make any agreement or reconcile with the Free Patriotic Movement as long as the latter continued to stand in support of Hezbollah bearing arms. [13]

Following a long count, Sami Gemayel was elected into parliament. [14] Of seven seats possible to win in the Matn District, one went to Sami, one to ally Michel Murr, and the remaining to the Free Patriotic Movement led by Michel Aoun. [15] [16]


See also

References

  1. ^ http://portal.sawtbeirut.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=17228
  2. ^ http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/getstory?openform&6F1799A988AF7057C22575CF001FF937
  3. ^ http://countrystudies.us/lebanon/85.htm
  4. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6169606.stm
  5. ^ http://www.larpi.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=81:mr-samy-gemayel&catid=34:larp-ii-profiles&Itemid=54
  6. ^ http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=58790
  7. ^ http://www.globalpolitician.com/22113-lebanon-interview
  8. ^ http://www.iloubnan.info/politics/actualite/id/29688/theme/35/lebanon/Sami%20Gemayel:%20Christians%20will%20overcome%20their%20disputes
  9. ^ http://www.larpi.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=81:mr-samy-gemayel&catid=34:larp-ii-profiles&Itemid=54
  10. ^ http://portal.sawtbeirut.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=17228
  11. ^ http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/getstory?openform&05B42F236339C19FC225758D005C411E
  12. ^ http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=81025
  13. ^ http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=78911
  14. ^ http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/getstory?openform&6F1799A988AF7057C22575CF001FF937
  15. ^ http://kataeb.org/elections/electionweb/SingleResults.html?id=1.xml
  16. ^ http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=97336
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