![French president-hopeful Marine Le Pen. [Franck Pennant/ AFP]](/sites/default/files/styles/d08_standard/public/im/Israel_2017/Le_Pen.jpg?itok=3o88oAP6 "French president-hopeful Marine Le Pen. [Franck Pennant/ AFP]")
Marine Le Pen has made headlines over the weekend for her scheduled meetings with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri and President Michel Aoun.
The far-right French politician has provoked controversy in her own country, with many comparing her to President Donald Trump. Among the Lebanese, news of the visit was met with a general lack of enthusiasm for the French demagogue.
Take this Twitter user, who suggested that the garbage might be the best place to host Le Pen:
Marine Le Pen visiting Lebanon? Can we make some space in the landfills?
— Kareem Chehayeb (@chehayebk) February 18, 2017
Even a left-leaning Lebanese newspaper, Al-Akhbar, had a front page story with its opinion made quite clear on the front page:
Al Akhbar's front page today ahead of #France's #MarineLePen's visit to #Lebanon tomorrow: "Marine Le Pen is not welcome in Beirut!" pic.twitter.com/HlWt9E6xRS
— Nour Samaha (@Nour_Samaha) February 18, 2017
However, no one seems to have taken it as far as the Lebanese activists who started a campaign on change.org. They were so miffed at the thought of Le Pen’s visit that they started an online petition to ban her from Lebanon entirely.
Leaving no doubt as to their opinion on the matter, the activists titled the petition, “The French Fascist Marine Le Pen is not welcome in Lebanon.” It is written in English, Arabic, and French.
Despite all the hemming and hawing, though, Marine Le Pen is expected to meet with both Hariri and Aoun on Monday 20 February.
LM
