(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — European Union Foreign Ministers called on all political forces in Lebanon to elect a new president and put national interests ahead of partisan politics, according to a EU statement on Monday.
Conclusions adopted by the Foreign Affairs Council said the crisis undermined the functioning of Lebanese institutions, and increasingly affected Lebanon’s ability to address the challenges resulting from the conflict in Syria.
“The EU urges the Parliament to meet for urgent legislative matters, including the implementation of international aid. This institutional stalemate has a negative impact also on the country’s economy. It is increasingly difficult for donors to operate in Lebanon in such conditions,” the statement said.
Ministers said the EU was aware of the “extraordinary challenges” that the refugee crisis was posing on stability in Lebanon, and commended the authorities and population for their efforts to host refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria.
The statement comes just a few days after a new United Nations report revealed that Lebanon was hosting the highest number of refugees per capita.
Lebanon has been without a president since Michel Sleiman left office on May 25, 2014. There have been almost two-dozen Parliamentary sessions to elect a president, but none have met quorum to allow a vote to be held.
Stressing the EU’s strong partnership with Lebanon, ministers highlighted “the importance of upholding Lebanon’s freedom and diversity as a model of moderation in the entire region.”
The European Union is a politico-economic union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe.