Riot-torn France struggles with chaos at home as Macron eyes military mission thousands of miles away

French President Emmanuel Macron is promoting a European military presence in Lebanon as the UN peacekeeping mission there approaches its end, while France faces demonstrations and political and economic strains at home. The proposal’s future is uncertain: Italy opposes sending troops under the plan currently advanced by Paris, and the United States says a replacement monitoring arrangement could be civilian rather than military.

The proposed force could involve thousands of European troops supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces, but its size, mandate and membership have not been settled. Washington wants a credible way to verify Israeli withdrawals, Lebanese army control and Hezbollah’s absence from designated areas; any arrangement would need Lebanon’s and Israel’s agreement. France’s rising living costs, public service pressures, debt and divisions over the 2027 budget raise questions about its capacity to fund and staff another overseas mission.