Later Tuesday, a group of Lebanese held a small protest in Beirut against Le Pen’s visit. She also met with the head of the Maronite church, Patriarch Bechara al-Rahi.
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The National Front said the move showed that the earlier search a year ago had been fruitless and argued that the whole operation was meant to sabotage Le Pen’s presidential campaign. His 30-minute meeting with the daughter drew some criticism.
The far-right presidential candidate has denied any wrongdoing, and her lawyer told the Reuters news agency that the case was a “manipulation” aimed at undermining her campaign ahead of the presidential election.
Le Pen said during her meeting with the Lebanese president that the two countries should be “pillars” in organizing the fight against Islamic fundamentalism. Many Lebanese fled to France, Lebanon’s former colonial power, during their country’s 1975-1990 civil war and became French citizens.
“I think in Emmanuel Macron we have possibly the only figure who could use a mandate as a newly elected president of France to help reform and strengthen the European Union at a time when it’s under great threat from President Trump, from Putin and from internal dissent”.
Lebanon has taken in 1.5 million Syrian refugees, making up about 25 percent of the tiny country’s population. He described Assad as “the biggest terrorist in Syria and the region”.
The currency has also plunged against the USA dollar to sit at around 1.050. That’s a stance deeply at odds with Hariri – and with France’s current political position on the conflict.
Marine Le Pen has edged up in recent polls.
“I was very happy to see that some academics and researchers in the United Kingdom because of Brexit are considering coming to France to work”, Macron said, after meeting Prime Minister Theresa May.
Fewer than a dozen protesters gathered near Lebanon’s Zaytuna Bay today afternoon to protest against Le Pen’s visit.
She then visited the House of Parliament where she met several members of the parliament. Her National Front party claims Muslim immigration to France boosts terror risks, costs jobs, drains the nation’s treasury and poses a threat to French civilization.
On Wednesday police questioned Ms Le Pen’s bodyguard, Thierry Legier, and her chief of staff, Catherine Grisey.
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Le Pen’s deputy Florian Philippot swiftly lauded her controversial move. In the second round, polls indicate she would lose if running against either Fillon or Macron.
