France hints withholding financial aid if Lebanon doesn't resolve political deadlock
Emmanuel Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron's special envoy has hinted that France and its allies with review provision of financial aid to Lebanon if the latter did not find a way through a political deadlock that is going on for almost a year.
"The life of the Lebanese state itself is at risk," Jean-Yves Le Drian, a former foreign minister and now Macron's special envoy, told AFP.
Lebanon has been without a president for almost a year following expiration of mandate to Michel Aoun, Lebanon's former head of state. The feuding factions in the parliament have so far failed to elect a new leader even as the country faces unprecedented economic crisis. Lebanon is a former French colony.
Both factions in Lebanese parliament have put forward their candidates. The pro-Hezbollah faction is supporting former minister Sleiman Frangieh while the opponents are backing economist Jihad Azour. Le Drian said neither of the candidates had a chance to break the deadlock.
"Neither side can prevail. Neither solution can work," Le Drian said.
"It is important that political actors put an end to this unbearable crisis for the Lebanese and try to find a compromise solution through a third way," he added.
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In Lebanon, the president of the country is elected by parliament. But currently neither side has parliamentary majority. More complications are added to the situation in the wake of accords that ended the civil war. Lebanon's president is always a Christian, the premier a Sunni Muslim and the speaker a Shiite Muslim.
Le Drian has said that he has plans to visit Lebanon next week and urge political parties to come together for a week of serious talks followed by voting in the parliament to elect a new president.
Over the last year, the Lebanese parliament has failed 12 times to elect a president.
Le Drian said that Lebanese officials are in "denial of reality" and if the situation persisted, France and its allies the US, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt may review financial support to Lebanon.
(With inputs from agencies)
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