Said al-Ghazzi
Encyclopedia
Said al-Ghazzi (1893, Damascus
– 1967) is a Syrian
lawyer, politician and two time prime minister of Syria. Al-Ghazzi was well known in Syrian politics
as an independent
liberal
which made him a favorite to all in times of crisis.
that opposed the French mandate of Syria
. He was an appointed member of the constitutional assembly which laid out the first constitution in republican Syria. His first cabinet position was in 1936 when the nationalists came to power after the Franco-Syrian Treaty of Independence. Prime minister Jamil Mardam Bey
appointed al-Ghazzi as minister of justice
. He was to hold that position again in two later cabinets, the first in 1945 and the second in 1948. He also served as minister of finance in 1939.
In the early days of the Shukri al-Quwatli presidency al-Ghazzi served as the vice-speaker of the parliament, but he lost the nationalists' support in the early 1940s for backing the French-sponsored president, Taj al-Din al-Hasani
. In 1943 he rejoined the nationalists and was elected as part of Quwatli's election list.
. Al-Ghazzi's primary concern was keeping the army in its barracks and ending the civilian-military hostility created by his predecessor, Sabri al-Assali
. He was faced with antagonism from the military establishment from the start, amid fears that he would continue the military containment program started by Sabri al-Assali. Following the 1954 parliamentary elections
al-Ghazzi tendered his resignation to president Hashim al-Atassi
and retired to his legal office in Damascus to continue his private life as a lawyer.
and Quwatli was again elected president. Failing to convince any party member to form a cabinet, Quwatli turned to al-Ghazzi with the offer. Al-Ghazzi accepted and started the consultation process. The new cabinet was ready on September 6.
During his new tenure as prime minister al-Ghazzi did his best to please two elements to help stabilize the nation: the military establishment, and Gamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt. He also worked to keep Syria within the Eastern bloc
, announcing Syria's new friendship with the USSR as well as several arms and trade deals with other eastern countries. His cabinet collapsed in June 1956 after opposition to his strong ties to Nasser and the USSR.
. He came back to serve as speaker of the parliament after the breakup of the union in 1961, serving until the March 1963 coup that brought the Baath Party
to power. He died in 1967.
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
– 1967) is a Syrian
Syrian people
The Syrian people are the inhabitants and citizens of Syria. Syrians are tied together by geography, linguistic heritage, religion, and similar Eastern Mediterranean ethnicities...
lawyer, politician and two time prime minister of Syria. Al-Ghazzi was well known in Syrian politics
Politics of Syria
Politics in the Syrian Arab Republic takes place in the framework of what is officially a parliamentary republic, but what is considered an authoritarian government where the power is in the hands of the President of Syria, his family, the ruling Ba'ath Party, and the Alawi sect.The two presidents...
as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
which made him a favorite to all in times of crisis.
Career
Before entering politics Said al-Ghazzi was one of the leading lawyers in Syria. He started his political career in 1928 when he joined the National BlocNational Bloc (Syria)
The National Bloc was a Syrian political party that emerged to fight for Syrian independence during the French Mandate of Syria period.The party was created after a national conference in 1928, by Ibrahim Hananu....
that opposed the French mandate of Syria
French Mandate of Syria
Officially the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon was a League of Nations mandate founded after the First World War and the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire...
. He was an appointed member of the constitutional assembly which laid out the first constitution in republican Syria. His first cabinet position was in 1936 when the nationalists came to power after the Franco-Syrian Treaty of Independence. Prime minister Jamil Mardam Bey
Jamil Mardam Bey
Jamil Mardam Bey ,, was a Syrian politician, Born in Damascus to a prominent aristocratic Sunni Muslim family. He is descended from Ottoman's general, statesman, and Grand Vizier Lala Kara Mustafa Pasha...
appointed al-Ghazzi as minister of justice
Ministry of Justice (Syria)
The Ministry of Justice is a government ministry office of the Syrian Arab Republic, responsible for judicial affairs in Syria.-Ministers of Justice:*Muhammad Nabil al-Khatib...
. He was to hold that position again in two later cabinets, the first in 1945 and the second in 1948. He also served as minister of finance in 1939.
In the early days of the Shukri al-Quwatli presidency al-Ghazzi served as the vice-speaker of the parliament, but he lost the nationalists' support in the early 1940s for backing the French-sponsored president, Taj al-Din al-Hasani
Taj al-Din al-Hasani
President Taj al-Din al-Hasani was a French-appointed Syrian leader and politician. He was born and raised into a family of Muslim scholars in Damascus...
. In 1943 he rejoined the nationalists and was elected as part of Quwatli's election list.
First cabinet
Said al-Ghazzi formed his first cabinet in 1954 in which he served as the minister of defense. His cabinet came in a time of turmoil right after the overthrow of the military dictatorship of Adib ShishakliAdib Shishakli
Adib ibn Hasan Shishakli was a Syrian military leader and President of Syria .Born into a notable Syrian-Kurdish family of Hama, Shishakli served with the French Army during the mandate era...
. Al-Ghazzi's primary concern was keeping the army in its barracks and ending the civilian-military hostility created by his predecessor, Sabri al-Assali
Sabri al-Assali
Sabri al-Assali is a Syrian politician and a three time prime minister of Syria. He also served as Vice-president of the United Arab Republic in 1958.-References:...
. He was faced with antagonism from the military establishment from the start, amid fears that he would continue the military containment program started by Sabri al-Assali. Following the 1954 parliamentary elections
Syrian parliamentary election, 1954
Parliamentary elections were held in Syria on 24 and 25 September 1954, with a second round held between 4 and 5 October. Independent candidates emerged as the largest bloc in Parliament, whilst the People's Party became the largest single party, with 30 seats. The Muslim Brotherhood did not...
al-Ghazzi tendered his resignation to president Hashim al-Atassi
Hashim al-Atassi
Hashim Bay Khalid al-Atassi was a Syrian nationalist, statesman and its President from 1936 to 1939, 1949 to 1951, and 1954 to 1955.- Background and early career :...
and retired to his legal office in Damascus to continue his private life as a lawyer.
Second cabinet
In 1955 the nation was in turmoil again following the assassination of Adnan al-MalkiAdnan al-Malki
Adnan al-Malki was a Syrian Army officer and political figure in the mid-20th century. He served as the deputy-chief of staff of the army and was one of the most powerful figures in the army and in national politics until his assassination in 1955.-Political career:Malki was a member of the Baath...
and Quwatli was again elected president. Failing to convince any party member to form a cabinet, Quwatli turned to al-Ghazzi with the offer. Al-Ghazzi accepted and started the consultation process. The new cabinet was ready on September 6.
During his new tenure as prime minister al-Ghazzi did his best to please two elements to help stabilize the nation: the military establishment, and Gamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt. He also worked to keep Syria within the Eastern bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
, announcing Syria's new friendship with the USSR as well as several arms and trade deals with other eastern countries. His cabinet collapsed in June 1956 after opposition to his strong ties to Nasser and the USSR.
Later life
Said al-Ghazzi retired from public life during the short-lived United Arab RepublicUnited Arab Republic
The United Arab Republic , often abbreviated as the U.A.R., was a sovereign union between Egypt and Syria. The union began in 1958 and existed until 1961, when Syria seceded from the union. Egypt continued to be known officially as the "United Arab Republic" until 1971. The President was Gamal...
. He came back to serve as speaker of the parliament after the breakup of the union in 1961, serving until the March 1963 coup that brought the Baath Party
Baath Party
The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party was a political party mixing Arab nationalist and Arab socialist interests, opposed to Western imperialism, and calling for the renaissance or resurrection and unification of the Arab world into a single state. Ba'ath is also spelled Ba'th or Baath and means...
to power. He died in 1967.