16 Facts About Elias Hrawi

Elias Hrawi was a Lebanese politician who served as the 10th president of Lebanon from 1989 to 1998.

Elias Hrawi was the son of Khalil Hrawi and Helena Harb.

Elias Hrawi obtained a diploma in commerce at the Sagesse Institute in 1947.

Elias Hrawi enrolled at St Joseph University, Faculty of Law but did not complete his studies there.

Elias Hrawi dealt with agriculture until he became a member of Lebanon Parliament in 1972.

The scion of a politically prominent family, Elias Hrawi followed his brothers Georges and Joseph when he was elected to the National Assembly in 1972.

Elias Hrawi concentrated on building bridges and highways to link all parts of the country.

Elias Hrawi was a member of the independent Maronite Catholic bloc in the Parliament.

Elias Hrawi was elected at the Park Hotel in Chtoura by 47 out of 53 members of parliament on 24 November 1989 two days after the murder of Lebanon's President Rene Mouawad.

Since Baabda Palace, the president's residence, was destroyed and bombed by Syrian troops in October 1990 to drive out General Michel Aoun, Elias Hrawi lived in future prime minister Rafik Hariri's Beirut apartment.

Elias Hrawi attended the meetings of the cabinet during his term to control the executive branch of the country.

Elias Hrawi's supporters viewed him as a pragmatic political figure, and respected him for his long-held conviction that national loyalty should take precedence over sectarian interests, and for promoting peaceful coexistence among Lebanon's religious factions.

Elias Hrawi has been criticized by some for having the Constitution amended to extend his term of office by three years on 13 October 1995.

Elias Hrawi married Evelyn Chidiac in 1947 and became a father to three children: Rina, George and Roy.

Elias Hrawi married his second wife, Mona Jammal, in 1961, and had two children, Zalfa and Roland.

Elias Hrawi died of cancer at the American University of Beirut Medical Center in Beirut on 7 July 2006, aged 80.