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Fouad Chehab | |
|---|---|
فؤاد شهاب | |
 Chehab in 1961 | |
| 3th President of Lebanon | |
| In office 23 September 1958 – 22 September 1964 | |
| Prime Minister | Khalil al-Hibri Rashid Karami Ahmad Daouk Saeb Salam Hussein Al Oweini |
| Preceded by | Camille Chamoun |
| Succeeded by | Charles Helou |
| In office 18 September 1952 – 22 September 1952 Acting | |
| Prime Minister | Himself (Acting) |
| Preceded by | Bechara El Khoury |
| Succeeded by | Camille Chamoun |
| Acting Prime Minister of Lebanon | |
| In office 18 September 1952 – 1 October 1952 | |
| President | Bechara El Khoury Himself (Acting) Camille Chamoun |
| Preceded by | Saeb Salam |
| Succeeded by | Khaled Chehab |
| 1th Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces | |
| In office 1 Agustus 1945 – 22 September 1958 | |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Toufic Salem |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 March 1902 Ghazir, Keserwan District, Ottoman Empire |
| Died | 25 April 1973 (aged 71) Jounieh, Lebanon |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse | |
| Profession | Military officer, politician |
| Awards | OM, ONC |
| Religion | Maronite Christianity |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Lebanon |
| Branch/service | |
| Years of service | 1923–1946 (France) 1946–1958 (Lebanon) |
| Rank | Brigadier General (France) Major General (Lebanon) |
| Battles/wars | |
Fouad Abdallah Chehab (Arabic: فُؤاد عبد الله شِهاب / ALA-LC: Fuʼād ʻAbd Allāh Shihāb; 19 March 1902 – 25 April 1973) was a Lebanese general and statesman who served as president of Lebanon from 1958 to 1964. He is considered to be the founder of the Lebanese Army after Lebanon gained independence from France, and became its first commander in 1946.[1]
Born in Ghazir to a family that traced its origins to nobility, Chehab joined the French Army in 1919. He was appointed Prime Minister of Lebanon by the outgoing president Bechara El Khoury, who resigned due to widespread demonstrations against his administration, and tasked Chehab with the role of organizing the next presidential election, in which Camille Chamoun was elected.
During the 1958 Lebanon crisis between Chamoun and Muslim leaders, he prevented the army from siding with the government or the opposition, and refused any request to do so. This decision helped keep the army unified and limited losses. He was elected President of Lebanon in the 1958 election, being considered a "consensus option" both internationally and locally, and succeeded Chamoun.
As President, Chehab is credited for introducing reforms and social development projects and building modern state institutions.[2] However, his rule was described as autocratic, and saw an increase in the role of military and intelligence in politics. His political approaches, known as "Chehabism" influenced later presidents Charles Helou and Élias Serkis. He died in 1973, two years before the civil war.
- ^ Reich, Bernard (1990). Political Leaders of the Contemporary Middle East and North Africa: A Biographical Dictionary. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-313-26213-5.
- ^ ""المارونية السياسية" بين نموذجين: شمعون وشهاب (3)". 180Post. 27 November 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2021.