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French President Emmanuel Macron has warned Lebanese politicians about the possibility of imposing sanctions if they cannot put the country on a new path within three months, intensifying pressure to implement reforms in a country beset by a severe economic crisis.
On his second visit to Lebanon in less than a month, Macron said the country’s leaders had pledged to form a crisis government within two weeks to push through major reforms.
After meeting with President Michel Aoun, Macron met with representatives of the country’s nine main political blocs in the second such talks since the port explosion.
Among those who met with Macron were representatives of Hezbollah, which the United States classifies as a “terrorist group.”
Macron said that Hezbollah, which is part of a bloc that has a majority in parliament, “may be in parliament because of intimidation, but also because other forces failed to govern the country well,” adding: “But they have a popular base and this is reality. “
Macron said: “However,” there is a discussion with Hezbollah that must begin regarding disarmament, and this is exactly the discussion that took place an hour ago and should not be taboo. “
The French president said before his visit to Lebanon that he was making “a risky bet, of which I am aware … I am putting the only thing I have on the table: political capital.”
In downtown Beirut, near the port, which was destroyed by a large explosion on August 4, police fired tear gas at protesters who gathered in front of parliament to express their anger at mismanagement and government corruption that have dragged Lebanon into its crisis.
Security forces also deployed outside the place where Macron met with Lebanese political and religious leaders. One of the groups held up a banner that read “Legitimacy of the people.”
Macron, who has inspected the devastated port, said he wanted from Lebanon’s leaders “credible commitments” and a “careful monitoring mechanism”, as well as holding legislative elections within six to 12 months.
In remarks prior to the visit, he indicated that if Lebanon’s leaders fail to change the country in the next three months, punitive measures could result, including the suspension of financial rescue aid and sanctions for the ruling elite.
On August 9, international donors pledged to provide more than 250 million euros (about $ 300 million) in emergency aid, during a video conference hosted by France and the United Nations, and Macron said he was ready to organize a second conference on Lebanese aid next month.
Macron told news websites that he will visit Lebanon again in December.
In the past, it took months to form a government, but Macron said he would pressure politicians to act quickly in this context, adding that he would not allow funds promised at a 2018 donor conference in Paris to be spent without reforms.
