Lebanon - Q&A from the press briefing (15 December 2022)

Q: Ten parliamentary meetings have been held in the space of six weeks to elect a successor to Michel Aoun – so far, without success. No parliamentary agreement was reached and no new meetings have been scheduled. You said that Ms. Colonna would accompany President Macron to Amman. Even though it hasn’t been announced, could Beirut be included in that itinerary? Could there be a stop in Beirut? And could bilateral meetings in Amman touch on this issue in Lebanon?

A: I want to reiterate our concern over the power vacuum that has persisted in Lebanon since October 30. As you know, we are calling on Lebanese stakeholders to assume their responsibilities – and it is their responsibility – to revive their country’s economy and improve living conditions for the Lebanese. This requires holding presidential elections and enabling Lebanese institutions to once again operate smoothly and fully. With regard to Amman, President Macron will visit that city with the foreign minister. A briefing will be held at the Elysée. I won’t go into the details about this summit or its participants for that reason, but it is obvious – in fact, it’s the entire purpose of this international conference – that we will be working on issues that relate to regional stability. You are already aware of how vigilant and attentive we are regarding Lebanon’s stability and sovereignty. That will probably be discussed during the conference.