Political inheritance-Absent entirely within the Shia’a community, dwindling within the Maronite and Sunni communities and omnipresent within the Druze
The Jumblatts (Druze)
The za’ama of the Jumblatt family dates back centuries and is one of Lebanon’s oldest leaderships. Most often, the family was able to adapt to the transformations that Lebanon underwent through the ages. Sometimes, it even challenged to these transformations, paying the price through the assassinations that targeted many of its leaders as indicated later.
Ali Rabah Jumblatt (died in 1775)
Qassem Ali Jumblatt (died in 1793)
Bashir Qassem Jumblatt (1775- 1825)
He is one of those Druze leaders who succeeded in bringing the Jumblatt family to decision-making positions in Mount Lebanon under the rule of Emir Bashir Al-Chehabi, with whom the Druze had a strong alliance. This alliance soon dissolved and battles erupted between the two parties, resulting in the exile of Bashir Jumblatt to Akka, where he was executed at the request of Emir Bashir.
Said Bashir Jumblatt (died in 1861)
He was accused of plotting the bloody conflict between the Druze and the Maronites and was sentenced to life in prison. He married Badr Amineddine and had two children with her, Nassib and Najib. Nassib assumed the position of Qaimaqam of Shouf on May 25, 1884. Najib (died in 1893) had two children, Fouad and Ali. Ali abandoned politics leaving the za’ama to his brother.
Fouad Najib Jumblatt (1885-1921)
He was appointed Qaimaqam of Shouf in 1919. In 1921, he was shot dead, allegedly by mistake, by Shakib Wahhab, a rebel against the French, in Wadi Ainbal in Shouf. He married Sitt Nazira.
Kamal Fouad Jumblatt (1917-1977)
Kamal Jumblatt assumed several parliamentary and ministerial posts. He was elected to Parliament in 1943, 1947, 1951, 1953, 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972 and remained in office until his assassination on March 16, 1977. He handled ministerial responsibilities for the first time in 1943. The portfolios he assumed were: Minister of National Economy (1946), Minister of Public Works and Transport (1961) and Minister of the Interior (1969). Kamal Jumblatt founded the Progressive Socialist Party.
Walid Kamal Jumblatt (born in 1949)
He succeeded his father to political power and was appointed MP representing the Shouf Qada’a in 1991. In 1992, 1996, 2000, 2005 and 2009, he was elected to Parliament in the same district (Shouf), and he still holds a seat in Parliament. Walid Jumblatt assumed several ministerial portfolios including Minister of Public Works, Transport and Tourism in 1984 and Minister of the Displaced in 1992. In the summer of 2005, Walid Jumblatt entrusted his son Taymour with some political tasks and assigned him to welcome delegations in Moukhtara. Thus, the Jumblatts seem to be holding on to the family’s political legacy and persist in their involvement in politics which dates back roughly 240 years.
The Gemayyels (Maronite)
Pierre Amine Gemayyel (1905-1984)
He established the Phalanges Party in 1936 and was elected to represent the Beirut 1 district in Parliament in the elections held in 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972. He remained a Member of Parliament until his death. Pierre Gemayyel handled several ministerial tasks including serving as Minister of Public Works and Transport and Minister of Education in 1958, Minister of Finance in 1960 and 1968 and Minister of the Interior in 1966.
Bashir Pierre Gemayyel (1947-1982)
He was elected President of the Lebanese Republic in 1982 but was soon assassinated on September 14 that year.
Amine Gemayyel (1941- ...)
He was elected to represent Matn in Parliament in 1970 as successor to his maternal uncle, MP and minister Maurice Gemayyel. In 1972, he was elected to fill the same seat. In 1982, he was elected President of the Lebanese Republic and he chaired the Phalanges Party until 2015 when his son, Sami, took charge.
Pierre Amine Gemayyel (1972- 2006)
He was elected to represent Matn in Parliament in 2000 and 2005. He served as Minister of Industry in 2005 and was assassinated on November 21, 2006.
Sami Amine Gemayyel (1980- ...)
He was elected MP in Matn in the 2009 parliamentary elections and Head of the Phalanges Party in 2015.
Solange Gemayyel (1949- ...)
She is the wife of Bashir Gemayyel. She was elected representative of Beirut in Parliament in 2005 but abandoned her seat in the 2009 elections in favor of her son Nadim.
Nadim Bashir Gemayyel (1982- ...)
He was elected MP in the Beirut district in 2009.
Political power within the Gemayyel family has been handed down from the father to children and then grandchildren and the Gemayyels continue to practice this power by retaining their positions in Parliament and the government.
The Frangiehs (Maronite)
Qabalan Frangieh (1872- 1941)
He was one of Zgharta’s prominent dignitaries. He confronted the Ottoman Sultanate, which sought to exile him to Istanbul, but retracted its decision after interventions from Emir Shakib Erslan. He was elected representative of the north in Parliament in 1929.
Hamid Qabalan Frangieh (1907- 1981)
He assumed several parliamentary and ministerial posts and was elected to Parliament in 1934, 1937, 1943, 1947, 1951 and 1957. He handled the portfolios of finance, national education and foreign affairs and emigrants.
Suleiman Qabalan Frangieh (1910-1992)
He served as President of the Lebanese Republic between 1970 and 1976. Before the presidency, he handled the Ministry of Post and Telephone (1960), the Ministry of Interior (1968) and the Ministry of Economy (1969). He was also elected MP in the parliamentary elections held in 1960, 1964 and 1968.
Tony Suleiman Frangieh (1941-1978)
He succeeded his father Suleiman Frangieh as Member of Parliament in 1970. He served as Minister of Telephone and was assassinated with his wife and daughter in June 1978 in the Ehden Massacre.
Suleiman Tony Frangieh (1964- ...)
He was appointed Member of Parliament in 1991 and was elected to the same position in the parliamentary elections of 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2009. He was appointed minister under several governments taking charge of different portfolios such as public health, agriculture, interior and municipalities and housing and cooperatives.
Tony Suleiman Frangieh (1987- ...)
He started engaging in politics in preparation for parliamentary office, for which he would run instead of his father who would withdraw his candidacy in favor of his son.
Samir Hamid Frangieh (1945- ...)
A politician and former MP (2005), son of the former minister and MP Hamid Frangieh.
The Karamis (Sunni)
Abdul Hamid Rashid Karami (1893-1950):
He was the son of Tripoli’s Mufti Rashid Karami. He was elected MP representing Tripoli in 1943 and became Prime Minister two years later in 1945.
Rashid Abdul Hamid Karami (1921-1987):
He served as Prime Minister on ten occasions, the first of which was in 1955 when he was the youngest PM in Lebanon. He was assassinated in 1987 while still in office. He assumed several ministerial portfolios including foreign affairs, justice, finance, national economy, interior and national defense, He was elected a Tripoli MP in 1951, 1953, 1957, 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972.
Omar Abdul Hamid Karami (1935- 2015):
He succeeded his brother Rashid Karami and was appointed MP in 1991. He was elected to Parliament again in 1992, 1996 and 2000. He held the office of Prime Minister twice, first in 1990 and then in 2004. He was also appointed Minister of Education and Fine Arts in 1989.
Faisal Omar Karami (1971-...):
He engaged in politics alongside his father Omar Karami and assumed the Ministry of Youth and Sports in 2011. Faisal succeeded his father following his death.
Ahmad Mostafa Karami (1944-...):
He was elected a Tripoli MP, first in 1996 and then in 2009 and was appointed Minister of State in 2011.
The role of the Karamis has been dwindling since the rise of Rafik Hariri and other leaders in Tripoli such as Najib Mikati and Mohammad Safadi.
The Zeins (Shia’a)
Hussein Ismail Zein (1870-1953): He was appointed member of the administrative committee formed by the French High Commissioner in 1920 and was also appointed member of the Senate in 1926. He never ran for office afterwards and left the stage for his brother Youssef.
Youssef Ismail Zein (1879-1962):
Youssef Zein is considered the forefather of the Zein family’s political za’ama as he was elected MP in Nabatieh in 1922, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1937, 1947, 1953, 1957 and 1960 before his death in 1962.
Abdul Latif Youssef Zein (1932-...):
He succeeded his father in the by-elections held in 1962 when he ran against his brother Ezzat. Abdul Latif Zein has been in Parliament since that time and won in the rounds held in 1964, 1968, 1972, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2005 and 2009. He was appointed Minister of Agriculture twice in 1969.
Abdul Karim Youssef Zein (1927- 1998):
He was elected MP in the district of Zahrani in 1964. He and his brother Abdul Latif held seats in the same Parliament that year.
Abdul Majid Youssef Zein (1925-2002):
He was elected MP representing the Beirut 2 district in 1968 when he and his brother Abdul Latif held seats in the same Parliament. He ran in the 1972 elections and lost to his rival Mohammad Youssef Baydoun by 47 votes.
The presence of the Zein family on the political stage is represented today by MP Abdul Latif Zein, which reflects an evident decline in the za’ama of his family, compared to the za’ama of Youssef Zein.
The Skaffs (Greek Catholic)
Elias Nassif Tohmeh Skaff (1881-1942):
He was a big landlord in Beqa’a and was elected MP representing Zahle in 1925, 1927, 1929, 1934 and 1937.
Joseph Elias Tohmeh Skaff (1922-1991):
He followed his father’s political career and his first foray into politics was in 1947 when he was elected MP representing the south rather than Zahle (where Henry Feraoun ran). He stood as parliamentary candidate in Beqa’a and was elected in the rounds of 1953, 1957, 1960, 1964 and 1972. He assumed ministerial office, particularly in the ministries of agriculture and national defense. He handled the former four times and the latter three and was also in charge of the ministry of water and electrical resources three times.
Elias Joseph Skaff (1998- 2015):
He stepped into his father’s shoes and was elected Zahle MP in 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2005. He was also appointed Minister of Industry in 2003 and Minister of Agriculture in 2004 and 2008. He died in early October 2015 and his wife Myriam Tawq is to succeed him until his son Joseph reaches a suitable age to engage in politics. The political role of the Skaffs has declined in past years, particularly after the Zahle-born Elias Hrawi became president of the republic between 1989 and 1998.
The Salams (Sunni)
Salim Ali Salam (1868-1938):
His father, Ali Abdul Jalil Salam, was one of Beirut’s prominent merchants and had nothing to do with politics. Salim took over his father’s job but chose to also engage in politics. In 1908, he was appointed head of the municipality of Beirut before his election as member of the Ottoman Chamber of Deputies in 1914. In 1936, Salim Ali Salam called for the Conference of the Coast to demand unity between Lebanon and Syria.
Saeb Salim Salam (1905-2000):
He began his political engagement in the lifetime of his father then succeeded him after his death. In 1943, he was elected MP in the Beirut district for the first time. He was re-elected in 1951, 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972. He held the office of Prime Minister six times and was also in charge of the ministries of the interior and national defense.
Tammam Saeb Salam (1945- ...):
He accompanied his father in his political activity and was elected MP in Beirut in the elections held in 1996 and 2009. Tammam Salam was appointed Minister of culture in 2008 and has been serving as Prime Minister since February 2014.
Malek Salim Salam (1917-2000):
He is the brother of late PM Saeb Salam. He was appointed Minister of Water and Electrical Resources in 1974 and also headed the Council for Development and Reconstruction.
Although Tammam Salam is currently heading Lebanon’s government, the position of the Salam family in the political arena somehow dwindled during the Lebanese Civil War and after it, particularly after the involvement of Rafik Hariri in politics.
The Arslans (Druze)
Majid Arslan: He practiced politics and served as Qaimaqam of Shouf. After his death, the za’ama was passed to his sons Toufic and Fouad.
Fouad Majid Arslan (1874-1930):
He was elected MP in Mount Lebanon in the elections held in 1922 and 1925 but was then cast aside in favor of his brother Toufic.
Toufic Majid Arslan (1870- 1931):
He was appointed Qaimaqam of Shouf in 1905 and was ousted in 1908. He returned to the same position in 1912 and in 1918 handled the Directorate General of General Security. In 1920, he was appointed a member of the administrative committee in succession to Sheikh Mostafa Imad. In 1929, he ran against his brother Fouad and beat him.
Majid Toufic Arslan (1911- 1983):
Succeeding his father, Emir Majid started his political activity at a young age and was elected MP in Mount Lebanon in 1931. He was re-elected in 1934, 1937, 1943, 1947, 1951, 1953, 1957, 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972 and died in office. Beside parliamentary activity, Majid Arslan assumed ministerial posts a dozen of times, the first of which was in 1937 when he was Minister of Agriculture. He headed the Ministry of Defense 22 times over a period of ten years and was also in charge of the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Post and Telephone.
Talal Majid Arslan (1963- ...):
He was appointed MP representing the Qada’a of Aley in 1991 and was elected to the same post in the same Qada’a in the elections held in 1992, 1996 and 2000. He failed in the 2005 elections only to be re-elected in 2009. He was appointed Minister of Tourism in 1990, Minister for Emigrants in 1996, of the Displaced in 2004, of Youth and sports in 2008 and Minister of State in 2011, a post from which he resigned.
Although Emir Majid Arslan was able to establish a powerful Druze leadership in Aley to counterbalance the leadership of Kamal Jumblatt in Shouf, the political influence wielded by the Arslans was later eclipsed by the growing role of Walid Jumblatt.
The Eddés (Maronite)
Emile Ibrahim Eddé (1884-1949):
Emile’s father, Ibrahim, was a translator at the French Consulate in Damascus. Later, Emile himself worked as a lawyer for the French Consulate in Beirut between 1912 and 1914. He stepped into politics from early on and was appointed member of the administrative committee in 1920. He was elected MP in Beirut in 1922 after which he was appointed member of the Senate in 1926. In 1929 and 1934, he was re-elected to office. He made it to Parliament once again in 1943. He served as both Prime Minister and Minister of Public Heath in 1929. In 1936, the Higher French Commissioner appointed him President of the Republic and he remained in his post until 1941. Emile Ibrahim Eddé is the founder of the Lebanese National Bloc Party.
Raymond Emile Eddé (1913- 2000):
He was elected MP for the first time in 1953 in the Qada’a of Jbeil (Byblos) and was re-elected in the elections held in 1957, 1960, 1968 and 1972. He lost the parliamentary race in 1964 but made up for it by winning the by-elections in 1965. He left notable marks on several laws and pieces of legislation, foremost of which is the Bank Secrecy Act in 1956. He held different ministerial posts including Minister of the Interior, Minister of Social Affairs and Minister of Post and Telephone in 1958 and Minister of Public Works and of Water and Electrical Resources in 1968. He was nominated several times as presidential candidate and was single.
Pierre Emile Eddé (1921-1977):
He was elected MP in the district of Baabda in 1951 and 1953 and in the district of Beirut 1 in 1957. He held several ministerial posts including at the Ministry of National Education in 1953 and the Ministry of Finance in 1953, 1957, 1958 and 1968.
Carlos Pierre Eddé (1950-...):
He succeeded his uncle Raymond to the presidency of the Lebanese National Bloc Party whose role has been diminishing. He has not held any official positions so far and failed in the parliamentary elections he contested in 2005, which further minimized the political role of the family.
The Chamouns (Maronite)
Camille Nemr Chamoun (1900-1987):
He was one of the most significant presidents of the republic of Lebanon (1952-1958) and a powerful political personality. His election as MP in the Shouf district in 1934 signaled the beginning of his political career. He was re-elected to Parliament in 1937, 1943, 1947, 1951, 1960, 1968 and 1972. He was Minister of Finance in 1938, 1946 and 1984 and was entrusted with the ministries of the interior, public health, telephone and water and electrical resources. Camille Chamoun founded the National Liberal Party.
Dany Camille Chamoun (1934-1990):
He headed the National Liberal Party but held no official political posts. He and his family were assassinated in 1990. Dany Chamoun had close ties with General Michel Aoun.
Dory Camille Chamoun (1931- ...):
He returned to politics after the assassination of his brother and chaired the National Liberal Party. He was elected head of the municipality of Deir El-Qamar in 1998 and MP in the Shouf district in 2009.
Tracy Dany Chamoun (1962-...):
Daughter of Dany Chamoun. She founded the Liberal Democrats Party and is seeking to follow in her father’s footsteps. Tracy is on bad terms with her uncle Dory Chamoun.
Youssef Nemr Chamoun (1890-1974):
Brother of late President Camille Chamoun. He was appointed minister in May 1932.
The role and presence of the Chamouns have declined starkly and the family is barely influential when compared to the previous political reputation once built by Camille Chamoun.
The Al-Assaads (Shia’a)
Abdul Latif Khalil Al-Assaad (1886-1936):
He was elected to Parliament in 1925, 1927 and 1929. He is the son of Khalil Assaad, the Mutasarref of the South Brigade, and the brother of Kamel Al- Assaad (1870-1924), member of the Ottoman Chamber of Deputies.
Ahmad Abdul Latif Al-Assaad (1902-1961):
He was elected MP in the south in 1937, 1943, 1947 and 1953 and in Bint Jbeil’s district in 1953 and 1960. He handled the ministerial portfolios of health and telephone in 1938, of agriculture and telephone in 1941, of public works and health in 1945 and of public works in 1948 and 1949. He was elected Speaker of the House in 1951 then re-elected to the same office in 1952 and 1953.
Kamel Ahmad Assaad (1932-2010):
He was elected MP in the Marjeyoun district in 1953 and 1957 and successor of his father in 1961 before his re-election in 1964, 1968 and 1972. He was appointed Minister of National Education in 1962 and Minister of Water and Electrical Resources in 1966. He was elected Speaker of the House in 1964 after a competition against his uncle by marriage, Sabri Hamadeh. He was elected again to the same post in 1970 and remained in office until 1984.
Ahmad Kamel Al-Assaad (1963-...):
He founded the Lebanese Belonging Party and stood in parliamentary elections in the Marjeyoun-Hasbaya district but did not win.
A mere comparison between the za’ama of Abdul Latif Al-Assaad and that of Ahmad Kamel Al-Assaad today attests to the political atrophy of the Al-Assaad family.
The Mouawwads (Maronite)
René Anis Mouawwad (1925-1989):
He was elected President of the Lebanese Republic after the Taif Agreement and was assassinated on November 22, seventeen days after his election. He started his political career in 1951 and was elected MP representing Zgharta in 1957. He was re-elected to Parliament in 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972. He was Minister of Labor and Social Affairs in 1969 and later Minister of Public Works and Transport. In 1980, he was appointed Minister of National Education and Fine Arts.
Nayla Mouawwad (1940-...):
Nayla Mouawwad succeeded her husband René and was appointed MP in 1991. She was later elected to Parliament in the rounds held in 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2005. She was also appointed Minister of Social Affairs in 2005.
Michel René Mouawwad (1972-...):
He took over political activity after his mother and failed in the 2009 parliamentary elections. He founded the Independence Movement.
The Hamadehs (Shia’a)
Sabri Saadoun Hamadeh (1905-1976):
He was registered as being older than he really was (1899) and was thus able to enter Parliament before he was 20. He was elected a Beqa’a MP in 1925 and was able to earn parliamentary seats in all the twelve successive electoral rounds before 1972. In 1943, he was elected Speaker of the House and was re-elected to the same post over 21 rounds. He held several ministerial portfolios including at the ministries of public works and agriculture in 1938, the ministry of the interior in 1946 and the ministry of public works again in 1972.
Majed Sabri Hamadeh (1945- 1994):
He was appointed Minister of National Education and Fine Arts in 1974 and was considered to be the successor to his father but his early decease prevented him from fulfilling this mission, not to mention that the circumstances that prevailed in Lebanon helped reduce the political role of this family.
Rashid Sabri Hamadeh (1949-...):
He ran for Parliament in the Baalbeck-Hermel district but did not win.
Layla Solh Hamadeh:
She is the wife of Majed Sabri Hamadeh and was appointed Minister of Industry in 2004.
The political influence once wielded by the Hamadeh family is long gone. Although Sabri Hamadeh used to facilitate people’s arrival in Parliament, the arrival of his own sons is today an almost impossible dream.
The Ousseirans (Shia’a)
Adel Abdullah Ousseiran (1905-1998):
He was elected MP for the South in 1943, 1947, 1953, 1957, 1960, 1968 and 1972. His parliamentary work culminated in his election as Speaker of the House in 1953. He remained in this position until 1959. He was also appointed Minister several times and handled several portfolios including the national economy (1943), the interior (1969), justice (1969 and 1971) and national defense and agriculture (1984).
Ali Adel Ousseiran (1947- ...):
He was elected MP representing the Zahrani district in the elections of 1992, 1996, 2000, 2005 and 2009. He was appointed Minister of State in 1992.
The Souaids (Maronite)
Antoine Fares Souaid (1925-1965):
His job as a physician and his proximity to President Fouad Chehab propelled him to engage in politics. He ran for Parliament in the Qada’a of Jbeil in 1960 but did not win. He stood for elections again in 1964 and won by 213 votes against his rival Raymond Eddé, but died around a year later.
Nouhad Souaid (1933-...):
Following the death of her husband Nouhad Souaid took over and stood for the by-elections held in 1965 but was defeated by Raymond Eddé. She ran again in 1968 and was also unlucky. She won a seat in the 1996 elections.
Fares Antoine Souaid (1958-...):
He was elected MP in the 2000 elections but has been unable to win again since then.
The Khourys (Maronite)
Shahid Youssef Khoury (1909-1966):
He was elected MP for the Qada’a of Jbeil in 1947 and then again in 1964
Najib Youssef Khoury (1911-1976):
He was elected as successor to his brother in the by-elections of 1966 and was re-elected in 1968.
Nathem Shahid Khoury (1946-...):
He was elected MP representing Kessrouan in the 2000 elections and was Minister of the Environment in 2011 as he was close to the then President Michel Suleiman.
Walid Najib Khoury (1955-...):
He was elected MP in the Jbeil district in the elections held in 2005 and 2009.
The Abdou Fadels (Greek Orthodox)
Mounir Habib Abou Fadel (1912-1987):
He was elected MP for Mount Lebanon in 1957 and was re-elected to Parliament in the district of the Aley Qada’a in the elections of 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972. He was elected Deputy Speaker of the House 15 times between 1958 and 1986.
Marwan Mounir Abou Fadel (1958-...):
He was elected MP in the Qad’aa of Aley and is the vice president of the Lebanese Democratic Party which is headed by Emir Talal Arslan.
The Al-Ashkars (Maronite)
Assad Boulos Al-Ashkar (1910-1986):
He began his political career by joining the Syrian Social Nationalist Party in 1936. He was elected MP in the Matn district in 1957 and chaired the SSNP.
Ghassan Assad Al-Ashkar (1937-...):
Like his father, he joined the SSNP and was elected MP in Matn in the elections of 1992, 1996 and 2002 but failed to make it through in the following elections.
The Lahhouds (Maronite)
Emile Jerjes Lahhoud (1899-1954):
He was elected MP in the Baabda-Matn district in the elections of 1943, 1947, 1951 and 1953. He headed the Ministry of Finance in 1945, 1945 and 1952 and the Ministries of National Education and Social Affairs in 1951.
Jamil Jerjes Lahhoud (1901-1983):
He was elected MP representing the Matn Qada’a in 1960 and 1964. In 1966, he was appointed Minister of Social Affairs and was nominated by Kamal Jumblatt for the presidency of the Republic in 1970. He is the father of former President Emile Lahhoud.
Fouad Nassib Lahhoud (1912-1987):
He was elected MP in the Matn Qada’a in 1972 and is the nephew of Emile and Jamil Lahhoud.
Salim Nassib Lahhoud (1910- 1971):
He succeeded his uncle as a Matn MP in 1954 and was re-elected to Parliament in 1957, 1964 and 1968. He held several ministerial posts including Minister of National Education in 1955, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants in 1955 and 1956 and Minister of Public Works and Transport in 1956 and 1957.
Nassib Salim Lahhoud (1944-2012):
He was appointed Ambassador of Lebanon to the US in 1990 and MP in the Matn Qada’a in 1991. He was elected to Parliament in 1992, 1996 and 2000 and was appointed Minister of State in 2008.
Emile Jamil Lahhoud (1936-...):
Lebanese Army Commander between 1989 and 1998 and President of the Republic of Lebanon between 1998 and 2007.
Emile Emile Lahhoud (1975-...):
He was elected MP representing Matn in 2000.
The Al-Bons (Maronite)
Fouad Nematallah Ghanem Al-Bon (1920-1989):
He was elected to represent Kessrouan in Parliament in the 1960 elections and was an advocate of President Fouad Chehab.
Mansour Fouad Ghanem Al-Bon (1953-...):
He was elected to represent Kessrouan in Parliament in the elections of 1992, 1996 and 2000 but failed to win in the following elections.
The Boueiz’ (Maronite)
Nouhad Fares Boueiz (1908-1990): He was elected MP in Kessrouan in the elections held in 1957, 1960, 1964 and 1968.
Fares Nouhad Boueiz (1955-...):
He was appointed a Kessrouan MP in 1991 and was elected to represent the same district in 1992, 1996 and 2000. He headed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants five times from 1990 to 1998 under the presidential term of his father in law, Elias Hrawi. He served as Minister of Environment in 2003.
The Tuenis (Greek Orthodox)
Gebran Andraous Tueni (1890-1947):
He founded the An-Nahar newspaper in 1933 and was appointed a Beirut MP in 1937. He was appointed Minister of Education in 1930 and then shifted to diplomacy and was appointed Ambassador of Lebanon to Argentina and Chile in 1946.
Ghassan Gebran Tueni (1926-2012):
He was elected MP in Shouf and Aley in 1951 before his election in the Beirut district in 1953. He returned to deputyship in 2006 as successor to his father Gebran. He was appointed Lebanon’s Ambassador to the UN and held several ministerial portfolios including serving as Minister of National Education and Fine Arts in 1970, and Minister of Labor, social Affairs, Tourism, Industry and Oil in 1975.
Gebran Ghassan Tueni (1957-2005):
He was assassinated soon after his election as Beirut MP in 2005.
Nayla Gebran Tueni:
She succeeded her father and grandfather as MP in Beirut 1.
The Saads (Sunni)
Maarouf Mostafa Saad (1910-1975):
After his retirement from police service, he was elected MP in Saida in the elections of 1957, 1960, 1964 and 1968. He was also elected Head of the Municipality of Saida in 1963. Maarouf Saad founded the Popular Nasserite Organization in 1970 and his assassination in February 1975 was the spark signaling the Civil War.
Mostafa Maarouf Saad (1951-2002):
He was elected a Saida MP in 1992 then again in 1996 and 2000.
Ossama Maarouf Saad (1954- ...):
He succeeded his brother Mostafa as MP in 2002 and was later elected in the 2005 elections. He lost the 2009 elections.
The El-Khourys (Maronite)
Bechara Khalil El-Khoury (1890-1964):
His father Khalil el-Khoury held a high-ranking position in the Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifiah. He was appointed member of the Senate in 1926 and later Member of Parliament in 1929, 1934 and 1937. In 1943, he was elected to Parliament. He held several ministerial posts and was appointed Prime Minister three times in 1927, 1928 and 1929. His political career was crowned with his election as President of the Lebanese Republic in 1943. He thus became the first post-independence president and remained in office until 1952.
Salim Khalil El-Khoury (1894-1989):
He was known as the Sultan Salim given his powerful role and interference in all matters under the rule of his brother Bechara. He was elected MP in 1947 and 1951.
Sami Khalil El-Khoury (1896-1975): He was appointed Minister of Justice in 1932 and 1934.
Khalil Bechara El-Koury (1923-2000):
He was elected MP in the Aley Qada’a during the elections of 1960, 1964 and 1968. He was appointed Minister of Labor and Social Affairs in 1969 and headed the Constitutional Party in 1965.
Michel Bechara El-Khoury (1926- ...):
He was elected Minister of National Defense, Tourism and Guidance and Information in 1965; Minister of Tourism and Public Planning in 1966 and was governor of the Banque du Liban twice in 1978 and 1991.
The Zoueins (Maronite)
George Zouein Zouein (1872-1953):
He was elected member of the administrative council of the Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifiah and was elected a Mount Lebanon MP in 1925, 1943, 1947 and 1951.
Maurice Jreij Zouein (1898-1985):
He was elected MP representing Kessrouan in 1953, 1957, 1964 and 1972. He was appointed Minister of Education in 1954 and of Social Affairs and Telephone in 1959. In 1964, he served as minister of Information and Tourism.
Gilbert Maurice Zouein (1939-...):
He was elected MP in Kessrouan in the elections of 2005 and 2009.
The Ghosns (Greek Orthodox)
Nicolas Mikhael Ghosn (1883-1955):
He was elected member of the administrative council of the Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifiah, representing Koura in 1913. The French mandate appointed him member of the administrative council in 1920 before his re-election in the parliamentary elections of 1925, 1929, 1934 and 1937. He was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Post, Telephone, Commerce and Industry in 1945.
Fouad Nicolas Ghosn (1911-1984):
He was elected MP representing Koura for the first time in 1953 and was re-elected to the same post in 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972. He was elected Deputy Speaker of the House in 1963 and 1972 and held a number of ministerial posts including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice in 1955 and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense in 1973.
Nicolas Fouad Ghosn (1940-...):
He was elected MP in Koura in the elections of 1996, 2005 and 2009. The electoral competition was mostly between Nicolas and his cousin Fayez Ghosn.
Fayez Michel Ghosn (1950-...):
He was elected MP in Koura in 1992, 1996 and 2000. He failed in the elections in 2005 and 2009 and was appointed Minister of National Defense in 2011.
The Sarrafs (Greek Orthodox)
Ibrahim Yaacoub Sarraf (1890-1952):
He was appointed Head of the Municipality of Meniara in 1908 and a member of the administrative council of Greater Lebanon in 1920.
Yaacoub Ibrahim Sarraf (1906-1988):
He was elected MP representing the Qada’a of Akkar in the parliamentary elections of 1943, 1951, 1960, 1964 and 1968. He was appointed Minister of Public Health in 1964.
Riadh Ibrahim Sarraf (1927-2002):
He was elected MP representing Akkar in the elections held in 1992 and 1996.
Yaacoub Riadh Sarraf (1962-...):
He was appointed Governor of Beirut in 1999 and Minister of the Environment in 2005.
The Fadels (Greek Orthodox)
Maurice Habib Fadel (1928-2009):
He was elected MP representing Tripoli in the 1972 elections and was re-elected to office in 1996, 2000 and 2005.
Robert Maurice Fadel (1970-...):
He succeeded his father as MP representing Tripoli in the 2009 elections.
The Pharaons (Greek Catholic)
Pierre Michel Pharaon (1925-1999):
He was elected to the Greek Catholic seat in Jezzine in the parliamentary elections of 1968 and was appointed Minister of the environment in 1995.
Michel Pierre Pharaon (1959-...):
He was elected representative of the Beirut 1 District in Parliament in the elections held in 1996, 2000, 2005 and 2009 and was appointed Minister of State in 2000, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs in 2005 and 2009 and Minister of Tourism in 2014.
The El-Kheirs (Sunni)
Kathem Salem El-Kheir (1942-...):
He was elected MP representing the Mennieh-Dennieh Qada’a in 1972 and was re-elected to Parliament in 1992, 1996 and 2000.
Saleh Kathem El-Kheir (1983.-...):
He was elected MP representing the Mennieh-Dennieh Qada’a in the by-elections held in 2010.
The Doueihis (Maronite)
Semaan Khalil Doueihi (1921-1988):
He was a monk and was elected MP representing Zgharta in 1964, 1968 and 1972.
Estefan Boutros Doueihi (1953-…):
Estefan, nephew of Semaan Doueihi, was appointed MP representing Zgharta in 1995 and was elected to the same post in 1992 and 1996. He was re-elected in the 2009 elections and was appointed Minister of Social Affairs in 1995.
The Fatfats (Sunni)
Mohammad Khodr Fatfat (1918-1987):
He was elected MP representing the Mennieh-Dennieh Qada’a in parliamentary elections held between 1960 and 1968.
Ahmad Mohammad Fatfat (1952-…):
He was elected MP representing the north district in the elections of 1996, 2000, 2005 and 2009. He was appointed Minister of Youth and Sports in 2005 and served as acting Minister of the Interior and Municipalities in 2006.
The De Freijs (Latin- Christian minorities)
Moussa Jean De Freij (1910-1987):
He was elected MP representing Beirut in the elections of 1947 and 1951.
Nabil Moussa De Freij (1955-...):
He was elected MP representing Beirut in the elections of 2000, 2005 and 2009. In 2014, he was appointed Minister of State for Administrative Affairs.
The Daouds (Druze)
Nassib Salim Daoud (1880-1952):
He was elected MP representing Beqa’a in the elections of 1937 and 1943.
Salim Nassib Daoud (1919-1987):
He was elected MP representing Beqa’a in the elections of 1951, 1957, 1968 and 1972.
Faisal Salim Daoud (1949-...):
He was appointed MP representing the Rashaya-Western Beqa’a district in 1991 and was re-elected in 1992, 1996 and 2005.
The Harbs (Maronite)
Jean Boutros Harb (1903-1971);
He headed the Municipality of Batroun and was elected MP in the elections held in 1953, 1957, 1960 and 1964.
Boutros Joseph Khoury Harb (1944-...):
Boutros, the nephew of MP Jean Harb, was elected a Batroun MP in 1972. He boycotted the elections of 1992 but was re-elected in the elections of 1996, 2000, 2005 and 2009. He held several ministerial positions including as Minister of Education and Public Works in 1979, Minister of Education in 1990, Minister of Labor in 2009 and Minister of Telecommunications in 2014.
The Zouaiters (Shia’a)
Mohammad Da’as Zouaiter (1925-1990):
He was elected in 1956 MP in the People’s Council of Syria. Later in 1968, he was elected to represent the Qada’as of Baalbeck and Hermel.
Ghazi Mohamamd Zouaiter (1949-...):
He was elected Governor of Nabatieh in 1990 and remained in office until 1996. He was elected representative of Baalbeck-Hermel in Parliament in 1996, 2000, 2005 and 2009. In 1998, he was appointed Minister of National Defense, then Minister of Social affairs in 2004 and Minister of Public Works and Transport in 2014.
The Al-Qadiris (Sunni)
Nathem Abdul Qader Al-Qadiri (1914-1989):
He was elected MP representing Western Beqa’a- Rashaya in the elections held in 1951, 1953, 1957, 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972. He was appointed Minister of Social Affairs in 1989 and was assassinated in September 1989.
Ziad Nathem Al-Qadiri (1979-...):
He was elected MP representing Western Beqa’a- Rashaya in the 2009 elections.
The Saadehs (Maronite)
George Hanna Saadeh (1930-1998):
He joined the ranks of the Phalanges Party from an early age and was elected Head of the Party in 1986. He was elected MP representing Batroun in 1968 and 1972 and handled several ministerial portfolios including public planning in 1972, public works in 1974 and post and telecoms in 1989, 1990 and 1992.
Samer George Saadeh (1975-...):
He was elected to fill the Maronite seat in Tripoli in the 2009 elections. He is a member of the Phalanges Party and has handled several functions within the party.
The Al-Rassi (Greek Orthodox)
Abdullah Jamil Al-Rassi (1929-1994):
He was elected MP representing Akkar in the 1972 elections and was re-elected in 1992. He handled several ministerial portfolios including the Interior Ministry in 1984 and the Ministry of Public Health in 1989. He married the daughter of President Suleiman Frangieh.
Karim Abdullah Al-Rassi (1967-...):
He was elected MP representing Akkar in 1994. He was re-elected to office in 2000 after the death of his father.
The Salhabs (Maronite)
Emile Toufic Salhab (1912-1983):
He joined the National Bloc Party and was elected to preside over it. He was also elected MP representing Matn in 1968.
Salim Emile Salhab (1945-...):
He followed in his father’s footsteps by joining the National Bloc Party but he later left it and joined General Michel Aoun. He was elected MP representing Matn in the elections of 2005 and 2009.
The Al-Saads (Maronite)
Habib Ghandour Al-Saad (1866-1942):
He was in charge of several administrative and political tasks before his appointment as Head of the Administrative Council of the Mutasarrifiyah by Mutasarrif Ohannes Pasha . In 1920, he was appointed member of the administrative committee and was elected MP several times. In 1934, he was appointed President of the Lebanese Republic.
Najib Ghandour Al-Saad (1870-1930):
He was elected member of the representative council in 1925.
Amin Fouad Al-Saad (1896-1985):
He was the nephew of Habib and Najib Al-Saad (son of Fouad). He joined the judiciary and was elected MP in 1943. In 1941, he was appointed Minister of Public Works.
Raji Fouad Al-Saad:
He was also the nephew of Habib and Najib. He ran for parliament in 1947 but did not win.
Fouad Raji Al-Saad (1941-...):
He was appointed MP representing Shouf in 1991. In 1992, 2000, 2005 and 2009, he was elected representative of Aley in Parliament. He was appointed State Minister of Administrative Development in 2000.
The Moukhaibers (Greek Orthodox)
Albert Salim Moukhaiber (1912-2002):
He was elected MP representing Northern Matn in the elections held in 1957, 1960, 1964 and 1970. In 2000, he was elected once again. He was appointed minister several times and held the positions of Minister of Public Health in 1958 and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Housing and Cooperatives in 1972. He also served as Deputy Speaker of the House more than once.
Ghassan Emile Moukhaiber (1958-...):
He succeeded his uncle in the by-elections of 2002 pursuant to a decision issued by the Constitutional Council following a dispute between two candidates, Mirna and her uncle Gabriel El-Murr, over the election results. He was re-elected in 2005 and 2009.
The Houbeishs (Maronite)
Fawzi Iskandar Houbeish (1937-...):
He held several administrative posts and served as Head of the Central Inspection Committee between 1991 and 1996. He was elected MP for Akkar in 1996 and was Minister of Culture and Higher Education the same year.
Hadi Fawzi Houbeish (1974-...):
He was elected MP representing Akkar in 2005 and 2009.
The Al-Jisrs (Sunni)
Mohammad Hussein Al-Jisr (1881-1934):
He was elected member of the Ottoman Chamber of Deputies between 1912 and 1915 and member of the Senate in 1926. After the Senate was dissolved, he was elected Speaker of the House and almost made it to the Presidency of the Republic. Mohammad Al-Jisr was a cleric and sheikh.
Nadim Hussein Al-Jisr (1894-1980):
He was elected MP representing Tripoli in 1957. Like his brother and his father Hussein, Nadim was also a cleric.
Adnan Mohammad Al-Jisr (1913-2000):
He was elected MP representing Tripoli in 1947. He was elected Head of North Lebanon Bar Association in 1963.
Samir Adnan Al-Jisr (1944-...):
He was elected MP representing Tripoli in the elections held in 2005 and 2009. He was appointed Minister of Justice in 2000 and Minister of Education and Higher Education in 2003.
The Karams (Maronite)
Youssef Salim Karam (1910- 1972):
He was elected MP in the by-elections held in the north in 1944 after the seat of Wahib Geagea had fallen vacant. He was re-elected in 1947, 1951 and 1960.
Salim Youssef Karam (1946-...):
He stood unsuccessfully in the elections of 2000 and 2005. He won in 2009 and was appointed Minister of State in 2011.
The Ferzlis (Greek Orthodox)
Adib Melhem Ferzli (1909-1993):
He was elected MP representing Beqa’a in the elections held in 1943, 1947, 1953, 1957 and 1964.
Elie Najib Ferzli (1949-...):
He was appointed MP in 1991 and won seats by election in 1992, 1996 and 2000. He was elected Deputy Speaker of the House and was appointed Minister of Information in 2004. Elie is the nephew of former MP Adib Ferzli.
The El-Khatibs (Sunni)
Anwar Ahmad El-Khatib (1910-1970):
From the judiciary, he moved to politics and joined with Kamal Jumblatt in founding the PSP. He was elected MP in the Shouf District in 1951 and was re-elected in 1957, 1964 and 1968. He held several ministerial portfolios including serving as Minister of Water and Electrical Resources in 1968 and 1969.
Zaher Anwar El-Khatib (1940-...):
He succeeded his father as MP in 1970 and was re-elected in 1972, 1992 and 1996. He was unsuccessful in later elections and was appointed State Minister for Administrative Reform in 1990.
The Al-Khazens (Maronite)
Rashid Saleh Al-Khazen (1935-2000):
He joined the National Liberal Party and was elected MP representing Kessrouan in 1992 and then in 1996.
Haykal Saleh Al-Khazen:
Head of the Municipality of Jounieh. He died in 1998.
Farid Haykal Al-Khazen (1970-...):
He was elected MP representing Kessrouan in 2000 and was appointed Minister of tourism in 2004.
Farid Elias Al-Khazen (1960-...):
He was elected MP representing Kessrouan in 2005 and 2009.
The Aouns (Maronite)
Aziz El-Khoury Aoun (1895-1989):
He was elected MP representing the Shouf district in the elections held in 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972.
Samir Aziz Aoun (1931-2010):
He was elected MP representing the Shouf district in the 1992 elections.
Elie Michel Aoun (1939-...):
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