Despite being preoccupied with the legislative elections that will continue until mid-June, following the conclusion of the presidential election, and the severe impacts of the Ukraine crisis, Paris, which has always supported Lebanon, refuses to abandon it. France is nearly at the center of international efforts to support Lebanon, preventing its collapse despite the comprehensive crises affecting all levels. Paris continues to engage with Arab and Gulf countries on one side, and Washington on the other, in constant coordination with the Vatican, often guided by its directives.
Within this context, French President Emmanuel Macron is preparing to visit Beirut again after addressing some urgent internal matters. He informed one of his senior aides in the crisis team for Lebanon, formed at the Élysée, that he intends to visit Beirut immediately after the conclusion of the French parliamentary elections on June 19, and after making adjustments to his international affairs team. The French president has requested the Lebanon crisis cell to prepare for a decisive visit aimed at preventing Lebanon's collapse and averting the possibility of a void in the presidency, similar to the scenario of two and a half years before the election of President Michel Aoun.
Macron's interest, according to the information, is not limited to the presidential file but also extends to other issues and requirements, especially after the parliamentary elections have concluded and a new majority emerged that will elect the Speaker of Parliament and the Vice President tomorrow, expected to meet the aspirations of sovereign and reformist forces, rather than the decisions of the ruling system which has transformed into a minority.
Additionally, Macron is expected to hold meetings in Beirut with senior officials, political leaders, and parliamentary change forces to understand their aspirations and directions for the upcoming phase. He will also monitor the formation of the government that is supposed to begin after the completion of the parliamentary contract and its legislative agenda tomorrow, advising the formation of a government capable of making bold decisions and negotiating with the International Monetary Fund for essential support for recovery, implementing a recovery plan, and urgently addressing the electricity crisis that has drained the state's finances amid an escalating crisis without any controls and the potential for its explosion at any moment.
It is noteworthy that Minister of Energy Walid Fayyad announced that he is in contact with Electricité de France to expedite the preparation of the terms of reference to initiate the bidding process for companies wishing to invest in the electricity sector. Consequently, diplomatic circles are counting on Macron's visit to help expedite the formation of the government, fearing that the moment of the presidential election will be reached under a caretaker government with a mandate without formation, which could accelerate the pace of collapse and explosion, leading the country to a point of no return, resulting in the end of Lebanon as we know it.
