Former Lebanese prime minister to begin talks to reenlist French aid

Former Lebanese prime minister Saad Hariri will today begin talks with parliamentary blocs in an attempt to revive a French-led initiative to end Lebanon’s economic and political crises.

The French plan involves providing monetary aid to help rebuild Beirut’s port district and to provide humanitarian and economic assistance to end Lebanon’s monetary crisis. The first step, however, hinges on Lebanon’s formation of a new government. Multiple attempts to form a new cabinet after the collapse of the previous government have been made, but none have been successful. Current cabinet deliberations have stalled after Hezbollah and the allied Amal Party insisted they name the country’s finance minister.

Expect Hariri to use these negotiations to attempt to unite the main Lebanese parliamentary blocs and leverage his success to boost himself in the running for prime minister. Hariri has expressed interest in the position, one he has already held three times, but says he will not accept the role without united support. Expect heavy pushback from Hezbollah and their allies after Hariri directly blamed them for Lebanon’s current crises. Without an agreement, a deepening of the economic crisis is inevitable, while a rise in sectarian tension is likely.

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