Macron Hosts Syrian Leader’s Controversial First European Visit
French President Emmanuel Macron will welcome Syrian interim leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa to Paris today, marking his first European visit since assuming power after Bashar al-Assad’s fall in December 2024, Arab News reported. The meeting, criticized by France’s far right, aims to address Syria’s transition, regional stability, and minority protections.
Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda affiliate now leading Syria’s Islamist coalition, remains under a UN travel ban, requiring French-negotiated exemptions. Macron’s office stated the talks align with France’s “historic commitment” to a “free, sovereign Syria,” emphasizing counterterrorism and Lebanon’s stabilization. The visit follows France’s February reconstruction conference, as Syrian infrastructure remains devastated by war, with 90% of the population in poverty.
Controversy surrounds Sharaa’s governance, including March’s sectarian violence killing 1,700 Alawites and recent Druze clashes. Israel has escalated strikes on Syria, citing Druze protection, while the UN condemns the interventions. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen lambasted Macron for hosting “a jihadist,” calling it a betrayal of France’s counterterrorism stance.
France seeks strategic influence in post-Assad Syria, evidenced by CMA CGM’s 30-year Latakia port deal. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot defended engagement as vital to curbing terrorism and migration crises. The talks test Europe’s balancing act between stabilizing Syria and legitimizing its contested leadership.
