Omar al-Rassi, “Akhbar al-Yawm” agency

Macron surprised by the fact that al-Rahi stuck to his firm opinion on the presidential file

With a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Maronite Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi is praised for his efforts to address the presidential file externally. Macron, according to the Elysee Palace statement, expressed his support for the ongoing efforts made by Patriarch al-Rahi and called for the collective efforts of all political forces to end the political deadlock in Lebanon without delay.

The French presidency said in a statement that both Macron and al Rahi "expressed deep concern over the crisis in Lebanon, which has worsened due to the institutional paralysis exacerbated by the presidential vacuum lasting over seven months. They agreed on the urgent need to elect a president for the republic without delay. The statement quoted Macron stressing the “necessity” for Lebanon’s Christians to remain “at the heart of the sectarian and institutional balance of the Lebanese state”.

Despite this clear positivity, a well-informed parliamentary source said, via the "Akhbar al-Yawm" agency, that al-Rahi's visit to Paris was not the right timing, especially since the conditions for a comprehensive settlement of the Lebanese file, including the presidency, have not reached a conclusion, and it is unlikely that the visit will bring the desired results.

In response to a question, the source pointed out that the French circles are showing dissatisfaction with the internal Lebanese situation, where Paris, specifically President Macron since August 2020 after the Beirut port explosion, was ignored, at a time when some Parisian officials believe that their country is still the "mother of tenderness" for a large number of Lebanese. But they were surprised that Paris did not succeed in changing the convictions of many political forces, specifically Christian, foremost the position of the patriarch.

The source quoted, according to an insider familiar with the Elysee meeting, that Macron was surprised by Patriarch Rahi's adherence to his firm opinion on the presidential file, which prompted leaks through some media that France did not go towards nomination.

The source said that the Patriarch is likely to hold a series of meetings with those concerned with the presidential file after his return to Beirut, and expressed his fear that the crises could worsen in case next September ends without the completion of the presidential elections, then there will be the great chaos.

The source pointed out that the next stage will carry two things: security and fear of corruption and chaos, and the settlement that will come from abroad to be promoted inside.