France's special envoy for Lebanon, Jean-Yves Le Drian, arriving at Ain al-Tineh, on Sept. 12, 2023. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient Today)
BEIRUT — French special envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian is due in Beirut late Tuesday, according to information obtained by L'Orient-Le Jour.
Le Drian's visit comes just two days before the parliamentary session on Jan. 9 by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to elect a successor to President Michel Aoun, who has been out of office for over two years.
During a visit to Beirut in late November, Le Drian emphasized the "urgent need" to elect a new president and "restart the institutional process." French President Emmanuel Macron had instructed Le Drian to visit Lebanon following the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, agreed upon on Nov. 27. Macron also expressed hope that the Jan. 9 session would be "conclusive," helping Lebanon overcome its ongoing institutional crisis.