Philippe Najib Boulos was a lawyer and an active figure of Lebanon's politics in the 20th century. Born in 1902 in Beirut, he worked as a lawyer and became a member of Lebanon's politics from 1941 until his death. During that period, he was elected minister three times and deputy three times, contributing to different sectors of Lebanon's politics such as education, justice and public work.
Personal life
Philippe Boulos was born in 1902 in Beirut, the son of Najib Boulos and Abla Hayek and the brother of Hortense Boulos. Originally from Koura, he studied law at the Saint Joseph University in Beirut, and received his degree at the French School of Law with the highest honours. In 1931, he married Julie Tamer with whom he had four children: Najib, May, Nadim and Samia. After being appointed as a judge in 1923 and then President of the Appeal Court until 1940, he worked as a lawyer. Appointed for the first time as Minister in 1940 and elected as Member of Parliament in 1951, he was subsequently involved in the Lebanon's Government, Parliament and the North Lebanon Governorate several times and under different positions. Boulos died in 1979 and was buried in his village of Kfarakka.
Political life
Under the presidency of Alfred Naqqache, he was appointed Minister of Eduction in 1940, then Deputy Prime Minister in the Lebanese Government. In 1941 he became Minister of Justice and Foreign Affairs, and the following year Minister of Public Works. Under the presidency of Béchara El-Khoury, he was elected deputy of Lebanon North Governate, Deputy Prime Minister in the Lebanese Government and Minister of Public Works in 1951. In 1952, he was elected Vice President of the Lebanese Parliament. Under the presidency of Fuad Chehab, he was appointed as Governor of the city of Beirut in 1959, then elected as a deputy of Koura in 1960 and re-elected in 1964. He became again Deputy Prime Minister in the Lebanese Government and minister of Justice and Economics in 1961. From 1961 to 1964, Boulos led the ministry of Information, Orientation and Tourism. With other judges, Boulos was highly involved in drafting the Penal Code of Lebanon which was promulgated in 1941 and still holds today. He was a member of the International Commission of Jurists in Geneva and represented Lebanon throughout his life at numerous international conferences.
