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His name has frequently been linked to the iconic oak tree of Ain Treiz, located in the Aley district. Fouad el-Saad, a former MP and minister who passed away on March 27 after a long illness, embodied throughout his political journey a particular facet of Lebanon — one defined by a commitment to the fundamental principles that have long shaped Lebanese pluralism and the unique socio-communal specificities of the Country of the Cedars. His passing brings to light the characteristics that unfortunately elude most of the personalities currently in leading positions.
Fouad el-Saad stood out from the majority of parliamentary figures of his time through his intellectual depth, open-mindedness, and a vision that was both critical and pragmatic toward the challenges he faced, epitomizing a well-defined Lebanese identity. This was characterized by a uniquely Lebanese sensitivity, underscored by a profound attachment to the spirit of coexistence in the mountain, namely between Maronites and Druze. This stance stems from his familial background. As a proud descendant of Habib Pacha el-Saad (his grandfather’s brother), who served as Prime Minister and President in the 1930s, he hails from a prominent Maronite family deeply rooted in the mountains. The Lebanese identity was a priority for this family and topped all other considerations.
With a genuine concern for the nation’s welfare, Fouad el-Saad was in a category of his own: an “honest politician” deeply committed to humanistic values and sovereign principles — a prerequisite for safeguarding Lebanon’s true independence and its reason for being in this everlasting turbulent region. He skillfully reconciled his national principles with a political pragmatism dictated by the circumstances at hand.
In 1992, following in the footsteps of other prominent political figures like Nassib Lahoud and Camille Ziadeh, he put forth his candidacy in the parliamentary elections despite the widespread Christian boycott advocated by the opposition. This stand was a protest against the unfair and inequitable electoral law crafted by the Syrian occupier to favor its local allies. Fouad el-Saad embarked on this electoral journey despite the prevailing momentum supporting the boycott. He believed that Christians should neither engage in politics that favored vacancy nor relinquish the parliamentary arena.
Once he secured the parliamentary seat of Aley in this widely contested election, he diverged from the prevailing trend by refusing to align with the agenda dictated by the Syrian guardianship. Thus, in 1995, he countered Damascus’ wishes and voted against extending President Elias Hraoui’s term.
During that same period, he clashed with Walid Joumblatt, the leader of the Progressive Socialist Party, who excluded him from his electoral list in Aley in 1996. Consequently, Fouad el-Saad lost his parliamentary seat but stepped into Parliament again in 2000 and was re-elected in 2005 and 2009 as part of the March 14 Alliance.
Fouad el-Saad’s commitment to Lebanese and sovereign fundamental principles translated into a series of significant political actions during the early 2000s in the local arena. Due to his close ties with Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir (deemed to be the founding father of Lebanon’s second independence), he played a crucial role in the “Mountain Reconciliation” between the Druze and Maronites in August 2001, under the auspices of the patriarch and Walid Joumblatt. Appointed as a State Minister in Rafic Hariri’s government, he chaired an investigation committee in 2001 regarding the status of Lebanese detainees in Syrian prisons. As such, he actively followed up on this touchy issue, even taking part in discussions with young journalists and senior officials (famous for being the driving force behind this specific cause), breaking longstanding taboos. In 2004, he was among the 29 MPs (known as the “Honor List”) who opposed the Syrian regime’s decision to extend President Emile Lahoud’s term.
Subsequently, Fouad el-Saad joined what would later be known as the “Bristol Gathering,” which brought together figures and political poles from different socio-religious backgrounds, advocating the notion of sovereignty. This gathering somewhat laid the groundwork for the upcoming March 14 coalition, which staunchly opposed the Syrian occupation and the Assad regime. Moreover, true to his critical mindset and rejection of blind adherence, he voiced his opposition in January 2011, alongside other deputies from Joumblatt’s bloc — such as Marwan Hamadeh, Henry Helou, and Antoine Saad — to the directives of the PSP leader to appoint Nagib Mikati as Prime Minister. This came following the collapse of Saad Hariri’s government, caused by the Shiite duo (Hezbollah-Amal) and the Aounist movement.
If one were to delve into Fouad el-Saad’s remarkable journey and pick the one thing that left its mark on the country’s political landscape, it would unquestionably be the importance of upholding the fundamental principles, critical thinking, rejection of blind conformity, and respect for universal humanistic values. Today, this stance is often sorely lacking in some local political circles.
