Macron awards Legion of Honor to Mikati, a 'friend of France'

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday evening awarded the Legion of Honor to "the friend of France," former Prime Minister Nagib Mikati, during a ceremony held at the Elysee Palace in Paris. This distinction, one of the most prestigious, was awarded in the presence of Brigitte Macron and members of the family of the former Lebanese government chief.

In a speech delivered on this occasion, Macron praised a "statesman" who distinguished himself by his actions during his last term, which lasted from Sept. 2021 to Feb. 2025 in a country in deep crisis since 2019. This period was notably marked by a presidential vacancy that lasted more than two years and the devastating 2024 war between Hezbollah and Israel.

"During your third term as Prime Minister (2022 to 2025), you successfully faced successive challenges ... I saw in you a man of dialogue, concerned about the general interest of the country," the occupant of the Elysee told the former government chief.

"Patriotism and sense of responsibility"

"Over the years that have passed, I have been able to appreciate the extent of your patriotism and sense of responsibility. You organized legislative elections, essential to the democratic process, and then, a second time, in a turbulent regional context, you adopted a policy of distancing and neutrality for Lebanon amid regional tensions," he continued. "This meeting is a tribute from France to you, and through you, we salute Lebanon, a country dear to our hearts and unique in its kind," Macron also said. "Throughout these years, Lebanon had the chance to have a statesman, a patriot par excellence, concerned with balance in the conduct of public affairs, and also a man of peace. Let me also say: a friend of France," concluded the French president.

During the ceremony, Mikati expressed his "immense honor in receiving this prestigious distinction." "It is an honor for me to stand before you today to receive this medal. By awarding me this distinction, you pay homage that goes far beyond personal recognition: it is a testimony of the sincere and lasting friendship that unites our two countries. Receiving the Legion of Honor is like receiving a piece of the soul of France — that soul which has shone through the centuries and inspired the world," the former Prime Minister stated.

Mikati, whose fortune is estimated at over $2.5 billion according to Forbes, has held the position of Lebanese Prime Minister three times. After being appointed Minister of Public Works in 1998, he became president of the Council in 2005, following the assassination of Rafik Hariri. He returned to head the government from 2011 to 2014 under the presidency of Michel Sleiman. In 2021, in a context of political and economic crisis, he was again designated by President Michel Aoun to form a government after Saad Hariri's resignation.

The last government of Mikati has been resigned since May 2022, and his mandate is far from immune to criticism. While he did sign a preliminary agreement with the International Monetary Fund in April 2022, he made no concrete progress in implementing the reforms that would have enabled Lebanon to subscribe to a financial assistance program. He was also at the origin of controversial decisions, notably approving three decrees legalizing new construction projects on the Lebanese coast, before handing over to Nawaf Salam.