Assaad Hardan

Assaad Hardan
President of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party
In office
July 2008 – August 2016
Preceded by Ali Qanso
Succeeded by Ali Qonso
Personal details
Born 31 July 1951
Rachaya Al Foukhar, Lebanon
Nationality Lebanese
Political party Syrian Social Nationalist Party
Spouse(s) Marlene Khnaisser
Children 3 children - Fredrika, Fidaa and Halim
Alma mater Lebanese University
Profession politician

Assaad Hardan (Arabic: أسعد حردان, born 1951 in Rachaya Al Foukhar) is a Lebanese politician and the leader of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party in Lebanon.[1] He joined in 1968 the Syrian Social Nationalist Party and became leader of the Central Political Bureau, after a highly controversial role during the civil war. His mental instability and corruption, specifically during the civil war has been well documented. The SSNP under his guidance has been known for numerous assassinations of a number of high profile targets who were either anti-Syrian (under the Assad family regime) and/or pro-U.S under direct orders from Syrian intelligence including Bachir Gemayel (former president of Lebanon, assassinated in 1982), Gebran Tueni (former Member of Parliament in Lebanon, assassinated in 2005), Rafiq Hariri (former Prime Minister of Lebanon, assassinated in 2005 -- The Hague continues to investigate culprits), Pierre Gemayel (former minister of industry in Lebanon, assassinated in 2006), and Antoine Ghanem (former Member of Parliament in Lebanon, assassinated in 2007). Recent reports have shown that he has utilized his political influence for various violent and corrupt acts such as ordering his parliamentary bodyguards to assault a man over a traffic incident in 2014, then having them confiscate all photo and video evidence on the scene.[2] In 2016, after attempting to unlawfully extend his leadership of the SSNP for a third term, he was unceremoniously deposed after the SSNP Tribunal ruled his actions 'illegitimate'[3].

He was elected in 1992 a member of the Lebanese Parliament represented the Eastern Orthodox seat from Marjeyoun-Hasbaya district on the Amal/Hizballah ticket and has been named repeatedly to the government: Minister of State without portfolio between 1990 and 1992 (government of Omar Karami and Rachid Solh), Minister of Labour between 1995 and 1998 and between 2003 and 2004, he was succeeded by Assem Qanso in 2004.

References

  1. ↑ "Asaad Hardan assumes SSNP's reins". Daily Star. 2008-07-04.
  2. ↑ "MP's bodyguards assault citizen in Beirut". Daily Star. 2014-10-11.
  3. ↑ "SSNP chief deposed, new election set". Daily Star. 2016-07-23.


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