France pledges support for Lebanon's new prime minister

French President Emmanuel Macro has met with Lebanon’s new prime minister, wishing him success and promising France would continue to support the crisis-struck country

PARIS -- French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Friday Lebanon’s new prime minister at the presidential palace, wishing him success and promising France would continue to support the crisis-struck country. In Beirut, protesters pelted commercial banks with eggs and rallied against the political class for obstructing the probe into last year’s devastating port blast.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati is on his first foreign trip after taking office, days after his government was confirmed by parliament — a move that ended a 13-month deadlock that came as Lebanon is struggling with an economic meltdown and rising poverty.

“You have an immense and historic responsibility," Macron told Mikati during a joint press conference at the Elysee. "We will do everything to help you succeed.”

Throughout Lebanon's crisis, France had taken the lead among the international community in helping the small Mideast country, a former French protectorate. Paris has hosted aid conferences and pushed for reform, and last year, Macron presented Lebanese politicians with a road map for policy change and reforms and scolded them for failing to form a government. But his hands-on approach failed to expedite government formation or bring about major change.