French Ambassador hopes Jan. 9 election will mark 'new era for Lebanon'

The French embassy published a New Year's message from Ambassador Hervé Magro to Lebanon on Thursday, in which he reiterates France's commitment "to political stability through the mission of the personal envoy of the French President of the Republic, Jean-Yves Le Drian."

"With my fellow Quintet members, we also worked to convince Lebanese political leaders to elect a unifying president capable of leading Lebanon by closely working with a fully functioning government and Parliament to implement necessary reforms and bring the country back on the path of prosperity, in this region of the world experiencing structural changes," Magro wrote. He added: "I can only wish that the Jan. 9 election allows for the opening of a new era for Lebanon."

Lebanon has been without a president since Michel Aoun's mandate ended in October 2022. It has been over a year since Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri last convened Parliament for a voting session, but he has scheduled the next one for Jan. 9. The quintet comprises ambassadors from five countries — France, United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Qatar — and aims to resolve the presidential deadlock.

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In his letter, Ambassador Magro extensively discusses the war that shook the country, mentioning France's and other "friendly" countries' diplomatic efforts to end hostilities. This commitment "materialized through the organization of the International Conference to Support the Population and Sovereignty of Lebanon on Oct. 24 and through its participation in the monitoring mechanism tasked with overseeing the proper implementation of the cease-fire agreement".

He also paid tribute to the role of UNIFIL, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, whose French contingent is one of the main ones, in supporting the populations of southern Lebanon, a region heavily bombarded by Israel.

The war between Israel and Hezbollah began on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after the start of the Gaza war, and intensified from Sept. 23, 2024, until the cease-fire was concluded between the two parties on Nov. 27. However, the security situation remains precarious in southern Lebanon.

In his message, Magro hoped that the new year would be "marked by the hope of seeing this country, which holds a special place in our hearts, seize the historical opportunity to return to the path of rebuilding a strong State, essential for economic recovery and reconstruction, for the service of all its citizens."