From uncle to nephew to irrelevance
Once perhaps the most powerful militia in the 1975-1990 civil war, the Kataeb transitioned into a Christian political party.
Despite producing three Lebanese presidents from the prominent Gemayel family, its influence has been in near-terminal decline.
Abrupt transitions at the top have happened on several occasions after party heads and family elders were assassinated, including president-elect Bachir Gemayel in 1982.
But today’s party head, Bachir’s nephew Sami Gemayel, is struggling for relevance. He has pivoted towards self-styled opposition to the government in a bid to attract young, apathetic voters – at the risk of alienating his long-term loyalists from the civil war days.
While Mr Gemayel tries to team up with civil society and create an image of youth and combating corruption, the Kataeb’s bloody history will make it difficult for such a project to succeed.
Najem Najem, a Kataeb supporter from north Lebanon, said he originally backed Mr Gemayel’s attempt to inject young blood into the party.
“But he went too far and tried to go against everyone in power, including [allies] the Lebanese Forces and Future Movement,” Mr Najem said.
He thinks Mr Gemayel is now realising this was a mistake – the party lost two seats in May’s election, leaving them just three.
Since then, Mr Gemayel has brought back once-powerful party men he had previously pushed away. One of those is a former leader of the Lebanese Forces, Fouad Abu Nader, who rejoined the Kataeb in December last year. After the parliamentary elections, Mr Gemayel appointed Mr Abu Nader as his top adviser.
Becoming a minor force and monitoring the government’s progress or lack thereof will now become the bread and butter of the Kataeb.