Former Lebanese Prime Minister Salim El-Hoss Dies at 94

Former Lebanese Prime Minister Salim El-Hoss has passed away at the age of 94, as confirmed by current Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

Mikati described El-Hoss as the "conscience of Lebanon" in a statement, highlighting the significant loss during a challenging period for the country.

In his statement, Mikati reflected on the timing of El-Hoss’s death, noting that Lebanon is in dire need of his moral compass, national sense, and wise leadership amid ongoing political and economic crises.

Lebanon, grappling with a severe economic downturn, is also experiencing political paralysis, primarily due to the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah, an Iran-aligned group, and its opponents.

This deadlock has prevented the election of a new president, leaving the position vacant for over two years. Additionally, escalating violence in southern Lebanon between Hezbollah and Israel, related to the ongoing Gaza conflict, threatens to expand into a broader regional war.

El-Hoss served as Prime Minister during several critical periods, particularly towards the end of the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), when the presidency was also vacant.

A renowned economist and technocrat, El-Hoss had a notable reputation for his commitment to state institutions, entering politics almost by chance.

Born in 1929 to a Sunni bourgeois family in Beirut, El-Hoss was orphaned at a young age.

He held a Doctorate in Economics and Business Administration from Indiana University in the United States.

Lebanon's political conventions stipulate that the President be a Maronite Christian, the Prime Minister a Sunni Muslim, and the Speaker of the Parliament a Shia Muslim.