French President Emmanuel Macron called on Lebanon to get rid"of its political leadership, which for months has blocked reforms vital to saving its ailing economy, AFP reported.

The problem with Lebanon is that we have to solve people's problems and get rid of those who cannot do so, Macron said, referring to the country's entrenched political class, which has been blamed for the country's financial collapse since late 2019.

Lebanon must change its leadership, he said. Macron led the international effort to rescue the Lebanese economy after the collapse in the value of the Lebanese pound plunged much of the population into poverty. International creditors demanded that Lebanon adopt a painful economic reform program in exchange for billions of dollars in loans. But the stalemate between rival alliances of confessional political parties has left the country with an interim government after an inconclusive election in May and a vacant presidency since last month.

The priority now, he said, is to have honest people as president and prime minister who can quickly restructure Lebanon's failing financial system.