Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, on Dec. 22, 2024, in Damascus. (Credit: AFP archive photo)
French President Emmanuel Macron will be the first European leader to welcome Syria’s Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa.On May 7, Macron will receive his Syrian counterpart in Paris, honoring an invitation extended on Feb. 5.At the end of March, following the massacres of Alawite civilians, the invitation had been made conditional on the formation of an inclusive Syrian government and security guarantees in Syria. These conditions have only been partially met, as only one woman has been appointed minister while key sovereign ministries have gone to men with past Islamist affiliations.As for the security situation, it continued to deteriorate, with deadly clashes erupting between Druze fighters and armed groups linked to the government since last week.Despite these obstacles, Macron maintained the invitation, a risky bet, given that his...
French President Emmanuel Macron will be the first European leader to welcome Syria’s Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa.On May 7, Macron will receive his Syrian counterpart in Paris, honoring an invitation extended on Feb. 5.At the end of March, following the massacres of Alawite civilians, the invitation had been made conditional on the formation of an inclusive Syrian government and security guarantees in Syria. These conditions have only been partially met, as only one woman has been appointed minister while key sovereign ministries have gone to men with past Islamist affiliations.As for the security situation, it continued to deteriorate, with deadly clashes erupting between Druze fighters and armed groups linked to the government since last week.Despite these obstacles, Macron maintained the invitation, a risky bet, given that...