Michel Georges Sassine
| Michel Georges Sassine | |
|---|---|
H.E. Michel Sassine with Pope Paul VI
|
|
| Vice Prime Minister | |
| Deputy Speaker of Parliament | |
| Minister of Labor | |
| Ministry of Tourism | |
| Minister of Housing and Cooperatives | |
| Member of Parliament | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
27 February 1927 Achrafieh, Lebanon |
| Died | 2 August 2014 (aged 87) Achrafieh, Lebanon |
| Political party | National Liberal Party |
| Religion | Greek Orthodox |
Michel Georges Sassine (Arabic: ميشال جورج ساسين) was a prominent Lebanese politician. He was a member of the Lebanese parliament for twenty-four consecutive years (1968–1992) representing the district of Ashrafieh, Beirut. He served several times as Vice-Prime Minister, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, and cabinet Minister. He founded the Ministry of Housing and Cooperatives, and was appointed as Minister of Labor, Tourism and others in more than seven governments. Throughout his political career he was renowned for his strong ethics and anti-corruption principles. He took the lead on several historic turning points including the 1970 Presidential election, and the Taif Agreement in 1990.
Sassine was born to a prominent Greek Orthodox family in Ashrafieh to parents Georges Sassine and Laurice Bustros. He lost his father in his teenage years and found himself in the responsibility of four other siblings including new-born twins. Sassine went to lead his family into politics, and together with his brothers Pierre and Joseph dedicated the family’s efforts to public service.
Michel Sassine was first elected to the Lebanese Parliament in 1968 running for the Greek Orthodox seat in the nation’s capital Beirut. Sassine ran alongside Nasri Maalouf and together, as independents, won against the government-backed coalition led by Sheikh Pierre Gemayel - including Minister of Foreign Affairs Fouad Boutros.
In the closest and possibly most controversial presidential election in Lebanese history, Suleiman Frangieh was elected President of the Republic by the National Assembly on 17 August 1970, with a majority of one single vote. The presidency being the most powerful political institution in pre-1990 Lebanon the presidential race was of particular importance as it came after 12 years of continuous Shihabist rule (Fuad Shihab 1958-1964, and Charles Helou, 1964–1970). The two main opposing candidates emerged to be Elias Sarkis – then Governor of the Central Bank – backed by the Shihabi regime; and Suleiman Frangieh backed by the opposition.
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