The French political class divided over Emmanuel Macron's message to the Lebanese

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3 min

A "profound change" and "reforms", this is what Emmanuel Macron asked of the Lebanese government. The French president visited Beirut on Thursday August 6, two days after the double explosion which destroyed part of the city and left at least 149 dead and 5,000 injured. The firm tone and attitude of Emmanuel Macron have been denounced by part of the French political class.

Publicity

“  An arrogant, moralizing and indecent one-man-show  ”. On Twitter, Jordan Bardella, the vice-president of the National Rally, does not mince his words. He did not appreciate the images of Emmanuel Macron strolling through the ravaged streets of Beirut , shaking the hands of crying Lebanese and promising them that he would ask their leaders for fundamental changes . "  France's support for the Lebanese people in this tragedy cannot be discussed  ", writes the MEP again ...

France's support for the Lebanese people in this tragedy is indisputable.

On the other hand, the arrogant and moralizing one man show to which Emmanuel Macron delivered, today in #Beyrouth, is indecent.

Same reaction from the side of Europe-Ecology-Les Verts (EELV). "  Solidarity with Lebanon must be unconditional  ", believes the boss of the Greens, Julien Bayou. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of La France insoumise, for his part, warns against any French interference in Lebanese political life and denounces the “  feeling of omnipotence  ” of Emmanuel Macron.

End of the French protectorate of Lebanon, 1941.
Independence, 1944.
Solidarity with #Liban must be unconditional. https://t.co/oyoXN7HCwZ

Where does this feeling of omnipotence come from? What's that tone? What is he threatening? What adventure is he leading France on? Sarkozy's Libya was not enough? https://t.co/ttmRckGFbl

"  This is what the Lebanese citizens are asking for  "

Critics that annoy Raphaël Glucksmann. For the left-wing MEP, the French president did well to demand reforms. "  This is what Lebanese citizens are asking for  ," he wrote. An opinion shared by the socialist deputy Boris Vallaud, himself born in Beirut: "  We must be demanding with the Lebanese government, even in certain respects, hard  ", he explained on Europe 1.

1/3 Emmanuel Macron was right a thousand times to go to Beirut. I can already see criticism of his visit and his words. Would we have preferred that he had not gone and that France was absent after such a catastrophe striking a people so close to ours?

If Emmanuel Macron's words are firm, his message remains in line with that which the international community has been sending to Lebanese leaders for years, prior to any financial assistance, analyzes Nicolas Falez , from the international service of RFI.

Macron's bet

Because neither the historic protest movement that erupted in the country last October nor the acceleration of the economic collapse in recent months have led to reforms. Despite the appointment of a new government in early 2020, Lebanon still appears to be paralyzed by its inefficient faith-based system and plagued by corruption.

Since Tuesday and the terrible explosion in the port of Beirut, the situation in the country has deteriorated further dangerously. In this chaos, Emmanuel Macron hopes for a revival of the Lebanese political class. It's a bet and he is already announcing that he will return to this battered country on September 1 to take stock.

► To read also: Elisabeth Byrs (WFP): "All means will be good to transport food aid to Lebanon"

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• Lebanon
• France
• Emmanuel Macron
• French politics

On the same subject

In Beirut, Emmanuel Macron calls on Lebanese leaders to "make profound changes"