Eight days separate the French and the rest of the world from the French presidential elections, where everyone’s attention is drawn to the person who will take over the presidency of France, because France has an international and Middle Eastern role, and in the Lebanese file, where France sympathizes with Lebanon in its tragedies and devises diplomatic means to keep Lebanon safe.

The French presidential elections will be held in two stages, the first on April 10th and the second on April 24th. The French are not planning any foreign trips, particularly to Lebanon, because the countdown has begun.

According to diplomatic sources to Sawt Beirut International, the French administration keeps up with the Lebanese situation, whether through its embassy in Beirut, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or officials at the Elysee Palace. Despite its elections, France maintains a close relationship with Lebanon.

The two most important issues that follow are as follows:

The first is the progress of preparations for the May 15th parliamentary elections.

The second was the visit of IMF delegations last week and this week in an attempt to reach a preliminary agreement with Lebanon that would put it on the path to recovery.

The French sources believe that signing the agreement in principle is necessary, and they encourage Lebanese officials to do so in the run-up to the parliamentary elections, as well as to collaborate to achieve internal understanding on the expected agreement.

Despite the fact that no French visits are planned for Lebanon, France informed officials that what is important is not only this signature, but its completion with the new government that will emerge from the elected Parliament, which will have responsibility for legislating cooperation with the Fund.

Concerning the possibility of obstructing the formation of a new government following the elections, this government will become a caretaker government.

According to the sources, a government must be formed quickly after the elections in order to complete the rescue path, and that it is the responsibility of all Lebanese parties to work to get their country out of the financial and economic predicament it is facing.

France warns against delaying or obstructing the formation of a government following the elections, as this is reflected in the reformist and critical track.

According to the sources, it is natural for the IMF’s recommendations to be tailored to Lebanon’s needs and endurance capacity.

If Lebanon is successful in negotiating with the fund, it will obtain the fund’s seal, which will serve as a bridge to the large international financial funds, Arab and European, including investment funds, which will begin providing long-term loans to Lebanon by being granted $7 billion.

The sources confirm that the Lebanese presidential election will be a watershed moment in international interest in Lebanon, with economic preparations being carried out through an agreement with the International Monetary Fund, and political preparations taking shape through international-regional agreements. This is something France has realized!