Former Lebanese MP and Minister Mikhael Al-Daher passed away on Tuesday at the age of 95. He was remembered as the presidential candidate, who was likely to succeed President Amin Gemayel in 1988, following an agreement between Syrian President Hafez Al-Assad and US envoy Richard Murphy.
Back then, Murphy raised his famous slogan, “Mikhael al-Daher or chaos.” But these elections did not take place, due to the lack of the constitutional quorum to convene a parliament session.
The crisis soon developed into the two wars of “Liberation and Abolition” fought by General Michel Aoun - who was the head of the military government formed by Gemayel - against the Syrian forces, and then with the Lebanese Forces, which controlled large parts of what was known as the eastern regions, extending from Beirut to Mount Lebanon.
The crisis ended with the Lebanese deputies reaching the Taif Agreement under Saudi sponsorship in 1989. The Lebanese constitution was amended and President Rene Moawad was elected president. But the latter was assassinated just before taking office, following which President Elias Hrawi became the country’s president.
Mikhael Al-Daher has always distanced himself from internal political conflicts. He focused his work on the legal field. He was elected deputy for the Akkar region in northern Lebanon, and became minister in one of the governments of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, during Hrawi’s tenure. His neutral stances allowed him to maintain good terms with the different Lebanese political parties.
