During their interview this Friday, June 16, Emmanuel Macron and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), “recalled the need to quickly end the institutional political vacancy in Lebanon”, as indicated a press release from the Elysée. Lebanon’s parliament failed to elect a president for the twelfth time on Wednesday, June 14, as the standoff between the powerful pro-Iranian Hezbollah and its opponents heightens the risk of a prolonged vacancy in the country .
The absence of a president for eight months “remains the major obstacle to a resolution of the severe socio-economic crisis” of the country, underlines the French presidency in a press release Friday evening. In full economic collapse, Lebanon is led by a resigning government with reduced powers.
The President of the Republic and the Saudi Prince “also recalled their shared commitment to security and stability in the Near and Middle East, and expressed their desire to continue their joint efforts in favor of a lasting appeasement of the tension”. Bilaterally, they intend to “develop and deepen the partnership between the two countries”.
