French President Emmanuel Macron will host Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa on Wednesday for the former Islamist rebel's first European visit, despite growing doubts about Syria's ruling Islamist coalition and protests from France's far right.
Since the fall of longtime Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad in December following fourteen years of devastating war, the international community has been pressing the new authorities, who have roots in the Al-Qaeda jihadist network, to respect personal freedoms, protect minorities and include all components of society in the country's transition.
