Macron to Address on Lebanon Crisis in Imminent Speech

The French presidency announced in a statement that President Emmanuel Macron will hold a press conference on the political situation in Lebanon at 6 pm in Paris (4 GMT).

The announcement came hours after the Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Mustafa Adib announced that he could not form the government and step down from his post.

The French President’s move reflects the extent of his interest in the issue after the Lebanese factions failed to form a government in mid-September in accordance with pledges they made to him earlier in Beirut.

Macron, who visited the Lebanese capital twice after the Beirut port blast, warned on September 2nd that speeding up the formation of the government and initiating the implementation of reforms demanded by the international community - are two prerequisites for Lebanon to obtain financial aid.

The government of PM Hassan Diab, which is currently charged with conducting business, resigned after the horrific explosion in the Beirut port on the fourth of August, which resulted in the deaths of more than 190 people, thousands of injuries and caused massive destruction in entire areas of the Lebanese capital.

The Prime Minister-designate, Mustafa Adib, apologized yesterday for the task of forming a new government. President Michel Aoun announced his acceptance of the apology, stressing that "the initiative launched by French President  Macron is still going on, "and he received all my support."

In return, former Prime Minister Saad Hariri commented saying: "We say to those who applaud today for the fall of the French president's initiative (...) that you will bite your fingers in regret."

Announcing his resignation, Adib said: “The political consensus to form the government in Lebanon no longer exists.”

Earlier on Friday Adib presented to President Michel Aoun a proposal for “distributing the ministries to various sects before setting a final formula on who will be nominated to these ministries,” sources said.

He is facing continuous pressure Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, who have increased their demands to request that all ministerial roles be filled by Shiites, and not just the main role of finance minister.