Samir Frangieh
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Samir Frangieh | |
|---|---|
 Frangieh in 2012 | |
| Born | Samir Hamid Frangieh 4 December 1945 |
| Died | 11 April 2017 (aged 71) Beirut, Lebanon |
| Occupations |
|
| Known for | 14 March alliance |
| Spouse | Anne Mourani |
| Children | 2 |
| Father | Hamid Frangieh |
Samir Frangieh (4 December 1945 – 11 April 2017) was a Lebanese politician, member of the Lebanese Parliament and a leftist intellectual. He was from the Frangieh family, one of the well-known political families of Lebanon.
Frangieh was born in Zgharta on 4 December 1945.[1] He hailed from an old political family, Frangieh family.[2] He was the son of Hamid Kabalan Frangieh and Lamia Michel (née Raffoul).[3] Hamid Frangieh was a lawyer and a businessman.[4] He was the elder brother of Suleiman Frangieh who was the President of Lebanon in the period 1970-1976.[2] Therefore, Tony Frangieh and Samir Frangieh were cousins.[5]
Career, activities and views
Frangieh was a leading journalist.[6] He contributed to many leading publications, including L'Orient (1970), L'Orient-Le Jour (1971–1975), Le Monde diplomatique, Libération, An Nahar, As Safir and Financial Times.[1] He also published articles in academic journals such as Journal of Palestine Studies.[7][8]
Frangieh joined the Lebanese Communist Party and left it in 1967.[1] He was the founder of the Lebanese Communist Union which was disestablished in 1970.[1] He was also a member of the National Movement Center.[1] During the term of President Émile Lahoud, Frangieh was one of the opposition leaders, who tried to challenge close allies of the president.[9] The opposition group was also led by Rafik Hariri and Walid Jumblatt.[9] Frangieh was a political ally of Jumblatt.[10]
Frangieh was also one of the founders of the Qornet Shehwan Gathering.[11] He supported the implementation of the Taif accords and the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.[12] In addition, he was part of the 14 March Alliance[13] and a member of its general secretariat.[14][15] He was the author of "Beirut manifesto" that was published in Le Monde on 22 June 2004.[16] The manifesto, which was signed by Lebanese intellectuals and eminent public figures, challenged the dominance of Syria in Lebanon.[16]
In the 2005 general elections, Frangieh became a member of the Lebanese Parliament, representing Zgharta.[17] However, in the general elections of 2009, Frangieh was not included in the election list of the March 14 alliance.[18]
Frangieh was elected president of the March 14 national council in June 2015 against Fawzi Ferri.[19]
