22/06/2023

Christian Front in Lebanon: France should stop supporting Shiite candidate

BEIRUT— The Christian Front in Lebanon issued a statement requesting that French Envoy to Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian stop Paris from supporting the presidential candidate Suleiman Franjieh, who they say is the candidate of Iranian-backed Hezbollah and the Shiite Amal Movement.

Le Drian will meet the parliamentary blocs and Lebanese officials. The Christian Front demanded the consideration of the majority opinion of the Christian and sovereigntist blocs that are seeking change and who took their decision during last week’s election session, in which the Shiite candidate withdrew.

“The Christian parties who will meet with Le Drian should send him a clear message, which is that the interests of the Lebanese people and Lebanon’s sovereignty are above the economic interests of France and Iran,” stated the Front. “France must return to playing its historical role as a caring mother for Lebanon and its people, otherwise it will become an enemy state for the majority of Christians and Lebanese if it continues to support a candidate that is rejected by the majority of Christians.”

The Front reiterated its demand for the sovereigntist parties and MPs to proceed with their sovereign stances against the Shiite bloc and prevent it from continuing to control Lebanon and its people, by serious work with expatriates and countries of the free world to implement UN Security Council Resolution No. 1559 and demand free zones under international protection, eventually implementing federalism in all of Lebanon.