Le Drian leaves Beirut without making progress in the presidential file: AFP source

French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian left Beirut on Thursday without his efforts succeeding in convincing political forces to agree on electing a president, while the country has been in a deadlock since the vacancy of the position a year and a half ago.

A French diplomatic source told Agence France-Presse that Le Drian, who met with major political forces in Lebanon, including Hezbollah, the most prominent political force in the country, "did not achieve any notable breakthrough" in the presidential issue.

The source, who preferred to remain anonymous, added that "each party is holding on to its positions," which led Le Drian to warn the officials he met that "the very political existence of Lebanon is at risk," as the divide in the country continues.

Since the end of former President Michel Aoun’s term at the end of October 2022, Parliament has failed 12 times to elect a president, as no party holds a clear majority in Parliament to secure the election of its candidate amidst a deepening political division between Hezbollah and its allies on one side and their opponents on the other.

The escalation across the border between Hezbollah and Israel, ongoing since the start of the war in Gaza between the Israeli state and Hamas on October 7, intensifies the political division, while the country is already deeply mired in a prolonged economic crisis.

During his meetings in Beirut, Le Drian warned of "the dangers of prolonging the crisis," amid the tense regional context. He stressed "the urgent need to elect a president without delay," according to the diplomatic source.

The French envoy's visit to Beirut was part of "preparations for US President Joe Biden’s visit to France, during which the Lebanese issue might be discussed."

Biden is scheduled to visit France on June 6 to mark the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings.

International efforts towards Lebanon, including those by Le Drian, have so far hit a dead end, while the presidential vacancy since 2022 exacerbates the unprecedented economic crisis.

In a joint statement signed by their ambassadors in Lebanon on May 16, the five countries monitoring the Lebanese issue—Saudi Arabia, Egypt, France, the United States, and Qatar—called for "consultations, limited in scope and duration, between political blocs," stating that they are "necessary to end the current political deadlock."

AFP