France's Le Drian fails to break Lebanese deadlock

After the visit of the French presidential envoy, Jean-Yves Le Drian, Lebanon returned to a state of confusion on all levels and hesitancy in handling various issues. 

This article was initially published in and translated from Lebanese newspaper Al-Joumhouria.

As expected, the visit did not bring anything substantial, described by a political source as a "visit with neither progress nor setback."

The source told Al-Joumhouria: “Le Drian did not present any new or serious ideas to help advance the presidential file, maintaining the same stance as in previous visits. This implies that the presidential file remains unresolved, outside the scope of serious consideration until circumstances change.”

“However, Le Drian's priority this time was not the presidency but rather a warning against being drawn into a war from the southern front,” he added.

In addition, the source said: “The primary and most significant focus was the enthusiastic attempt to convince all parties of the necessity to extend the term of Army Commander General Joseph Aoun. In summary, this was the essence of the visit, nothing more and nothing less.”

In this context, there is a notable French stance on the Lebanese situation, articulated by French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, who considered the situation between Lebanon and Israel more dangerous than in 2006. 

She warned that any miscalculation could lead Lebanon to escalate beyond its southern borders.