Élias Sarkis
Élias Sarkis | |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 July 1924 Chebanieh, Lebanon |
| Died | 27 June 1985 (aged 60) Paris, France |
| Occupation(s) | Attorney, statesman |
| Known for | 6th president of Lebanon (1976–1982) |
Élias Sarkis (; born 20 July 1924, died 27 June 1985) was a Lebanese attorney and statesman who held the office of the 6th president of Lebanon from 1976 until 1982.
Early life and education
Born in the mixed Christian-Druze mountain village of Chebanieh on 20 July 1924, Élias Sarkis came from a Maronite Christian family engaged in retail.
He pursued his early education at Chebanieh School and later at Frères School in Beirut. During his studies, he was employed as a railway clerk before obtaining his law degree from Saint Joseph University in 1948.
Career
Following his graduation, Sarkis practiced law for three years. He subsequently became a close associate of Lebanese army commander Fuad Chehab, who ascended to the presidency in 1958. In 1953, Sarkis was appointed magistrate at the court of accounts and also served as director general of the presidential chamber. In 1968, at the behest of President Charles Helou, he assumed the governorship of Lebanon’s central bank to lead reforms amid a banking crisis. Between the late 1960s and early 1970s, Sarkis successfully expanded the bank’s gold reserves, elevating Lebanon to a position among the world's leading holders of gold assets.
Presidency
In the 1970 presidential election, Sarkis ran as Chehab’s endorsed candidate but narrowly lost by one vote to Suleiman Frangieh. He was eventually elected President on 8 May 1976 during the height of the Lebanese Civil War, receiving backing from Damascus and favored by Syrian leader Hafez al-Assad. Due to security concerns, voting occurred in a private villa where sixty-six parliamentary members supported him while twenty-nine, largely comprising leftist and Palestinian factions, abstained through boycott. His inauguration took place in Shtaura rather than the parliamentary chamber, and he officially assumed office four months later after Frangieh initially resisted relinquishing power. In December 1976, Sarkis appointed Salim Hoss as prime minister.
Throughout his presidency, Sarkis endeavored to bridge divides between Christian and Muslim groups amid intensifying conflict and Israeli military incursions in 1978 and 1982. The political arena was polarized between the leftist Lebanese National Movement led by Kamal Jumblatt and the conservative Christian Lebanese Front. His attempts at brokering peace were unsuccessful as both factions pursued conflicting objectives; while the Lebanese Front solidified its influence, the LNM remained reliant on Palestinian support.
In November 1976, Sarkis attempted to integrate Jumblatt into the government cabinet; however, Syrian leader Hafez al-Assad opposed this due to Jumblatt’s opposition to Syrian dominance. On 5 March 1980, Sarkis presented a policy framework advocating national unity, sovereignty, parliamentary democracy, and rejection of the Camp David Accords. Following Prime Minister Hoss’s resignation in June 1980 over stalled peace negotiations, Sarkis appointed Shafik Wazzan amid ongoing turmoil. His tenure was often characterized as that of a president holding office but lacking substantial authority.
As his term neared conclusion in 1982, Israel launched an invasion into southern Lebanon during the 1982 Lebanon War, advancing toward Beirut. Sarkis coordinated an international peacekeeping contingent comprising U.S., British, French, and Italian forces tasked with removing the Palestine Liberation Organization. He also established a rescue committee including figures such as Nabih Berri of Amal Movement and Christian leader Bashir Gemayel to manage post-invasion issues. This initiative caused friction within Amal that contributed to the emergence of Islamic Amal.
Although many Lebanese respected Sarkis, he faced criticism for perceived hesitancy. Viewed largely as Syria’s preferred candidate rather than a representative of Muslim-Palestinian interests, his presidency mirrored Lebanon’s profound political fragmentation—a reality highlighted by the parliamentary boycott during his election.
Succession
Following Sarkis's term, Bachir Gemayel was chosen as president on 23 August 1982, securing 57 votes. Tragically, Gemayel was assassinated just 21 days prior to assuming office. Subsequently, his brother, Amine Gemayel, was elected president, and Sarkis officially transferred the presidency to him on 23 September 1982.
Illness and death
Sarkis passed away from cancer in Paris on 27 June 1985 at the age of 60. His remains were brought back to Lebanon, where then-President Amine Gemayel officiated the funeral held in Beirut on 29 June 1985. The memorial service in East Beirut was attended by a Syrian delegation representing President Hafez al-Assad. On the same day, Sarkis was laid to rest in his native village of Chebanieh.