Nicholas Fattoush (born 1943) is a Lebanese lawyer and politician who served in various cabinet posts, including

minister of tourism The Minister of Tourism is the head of the governmental department that specializes in tourism, recreation and/or culture. The position exists in many countries under several names: *Ministry of Tourism and Environment (Albania) *Ministry of Touri ...

. He was also member of the

Lebanese Parliament The Lebanese Parliament (, ) is the unicameral national parliament of the Lebanon, Republic of Lebanon. There are 128 members elected to a four-year term in Electoral district, multi-member constituencies, apportioned among Lebanon's divers ...

Biography

Fattoush was born in

Zahlé Zahlé () is a city in eastern Lebanon, and the capital and largest city of Beqaa Governorate, Lebanon. With around 150,000 inhabitants, it is the third-largest city in Lebanon after Beirut and Tripoli, Lebanon, Tripoli and the fourth-largest ...

in 1943. He hails from a Melkite Greek Catholic family. His brother, Pierre, was a businessman who died from

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

in November 2020. His other brother, Moussa, is also a businessman. Nicholas Fattoush obtained a degree in law from

Saint Joseph University Saint Joseph University of Beirut (; French: ''Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth'', commonly known as USJ) is a private Catholic research university in Beirut, Lebanon, founded in 1875 by French Jesuit missionaries and subsidized by the Go ...

in 1967 and a

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...

in law from

Aix-Marseille University Aix-Marseille University (AMU; ; formally incorporated as ) is a Public university, public research university located in the Provence region of southern France. It was founded in 1409 when Louis II of Anjou, List of rulers of Provence, Count of ...

, France, in 1971. Fattoush began to work as lawyer from 1970. He was a faculty member of his alma mater, Saint Joseph University. His first ministerial appointment was to the first cabinet of

Rafik Hariri Rafic Bahaa El Deen al-Hariri (; 1 November 1944 – 14 February 2005) was a Lebanese businessman and politician who served as prime minister of Lebanon from 1992 to 1998 and again from 2000 to 2004. Hariri headed five cabinets during his tenu ...

on 31 October 1992 when he was named as the ministry of tourism. Fattoush held the post until December 1998 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. In June 2011 Fattoush was appointed minister of state for parliamentary affairs to the cabinet headed by Prime Minister

Najib Mikati Najib Azmi Mikati (born 24 November 1955) is a Lebanese politician and businessman who served as the 52nd prime minister of Lebanon from 2021 to 2025. He previously served in this post as the 48th and 45th prime minister from 2011 to 2014 and i ...

. He was among the independent members of the cabinet.

Views and alliances

Fattoush was one of the members of the Parliament who opposed the extension of President

Émile Lahoud Émile Jamil Lahoud (born 12 January 1936) is a Lebanese politician who served as the 11th president of Lebanon from 1998 to 2007. During his presidency, the Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon, that had lasted since 1982, ended in May 2000. ...

's tenure. He openly declared his opposition at the Parliament in April 2004. Fattoush is a supporter of Parliament Speaker

Nabih Berri Nabih Mustafa Berri ( ; born 28 January 1938) is a Lebanese politician who has been serving as Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon since 1992. He heads the Amal Movement and its parliamentary wing, Development and Liberation Bloc. Early lif ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fattoush, Nicholas 20th-century Lebanese lawyers 1943 births Lebanese Melkite Greek Catholics Living people Tourism ministers of Lebanon Independent politicians in Lebanon Members of the Parliament of Lebanon People from Zahle Saint Joseph University alumni Aix-Marseille University alumni Academic staff of Saint Joseph University