Nicholas Fattoush Explained

Office1:Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs
Primeminister1:Najib Mikati
Term Start1:June 2011
Term End1:February 2014
Office2:Minister of Tourism
Primeminister2:Rafik Hariri
Term Start2:31 October 1992
Term End2:December 1998
Birth Name:Nicholas Michel Fattoush
Birth Place:Zahlé, Lebanon
Party:Independent
Nationality:Lebanese
Occupation:Lawyer

Nicholas Fattoush (born 1943) is a Lebanese lawyer and politician who served in various cabinet posts, including minister of tourism. He was also member of the Lebanese Parliament.

Biography

Fattoush was born in Zahlé in 1943.[1] [2] He hails from a Melkite Greek Catholic family.[1] His brother, Pierre, was a businessman who died from COVID-19 in November 2020.[3] His other brother, Moussa, is also a businessman.[4]

Nicholas Fattoush obtained a degree in law from Saint Joseph University in 1967 and a master's degree in law from Aix-Marseille University, France, in 1971.[2]

Fattoush began to work as lawyer from 1970.[1] He was a faculty member of his alma mater, Saint Joseph University.[2] His first ministerial appointment was to the first cabinet of Rafik Hariri on 31 October 1992 when he was named as the ministry of tourism.[5] Fattoush held the post until December 1998[2] in the subsequent cabinets formed by Hariri. In the 1992 elections Fattoush was also elected to the Parliament from Zahlé and won the seat in the following elections from 1996 to 2009.[1] In June 2011 Fattoush was appointed minister of state for parliamentary affairs to the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Najib Mikati. He was among the independent members of the cabinet.[6]

Views and alliances

Fattoush was one of the members of the Parliament who opposed the extension of President Émile Lahoud's tenure. He openly declared his opposition at the Parliament in April 2004. Fattoush is a supporter of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Singlehood of Lebanese Politicians-Five presidents, eleven ministers and thirteen MPs. 14 July 2022. The Monthly. 10 December 2015.
  2. Book: Who's Who in Lebanon. 2007. Publitec Publications. 10.1515/9783110945904.476. 19th. Beirut. 978-3-598-07734-0. 129.
  3. News: Businessman Pierre Fattoush. 14 July 2022. L'Orient-Le Jour. 8 November 2020.
  4. Web site: Jacob Boswall. Yasmine Minkara. Mountain to Mortar: Lebanon's Concrete Conflicts of Interests. Badil. 12 March 2021. 13 April 2024.
  5. Book: 2015. Ward Vloeberghs. Architecture, Power and Religion in Lebanon. Rafiq Hariri and the politics of sacred space in Beirut. Brill. Leiden; Boston. 9789004307056. 381–382. 114. 10.1163/9789004307056_010.
  6. Book: Imad Salamey. Imad Salamey. The Government and Politics of Lebanon. 2013. Routledge. 978-1-135-01132-1. London; New York. 150.
  7. Ziad K. Abdelnour. 4. The Fattoush Phenomenon. April 2004. 6. 14 July 2022. Middle East Intelligence Bulletin.