Samir Frangieh

Samir Frangieh (born 1945) is a Lebanese politician and a leftist intellectual.

Frangieh was born in Zgharta in 1945. He hails from an old political family, the Frangieh family. He is the son of Hamid Kabalan Frangieh and Lamia Michel (née Raffoul). Hamid Frangieh was the elder brother of Suleiman Frangieh, who was one of Lebanese's former presidents. Suleiman Frangieh Jr. is his cousin.

Frangieh is a leading journalist. During the term of president Émile Lahoud, he was one of the opposition leaders, who tried to challenge close allies of the president. The opposition group was also led by Rafik Hariri and Walid Jumblatt. Frangieh is a political ally of Jumblatt.

Frangieh is also one of the founders of the Qornet Shehwan Gathering. In addition, he is part of the 14 March alliance and a member of its general secretariat. He is the author of "Beirut manifesto" that was published in Le Monde on 22 June 2004. The manifesto, which was signed by Lebanese intellectuals and eminent public figures, challenged the dominance of Syria in Lebanon.

In the 2005 general elections, he became a member of the Lebanese parliament, representing Zgharta. However, in the general elections of 2009, Frangieh was not included to the election list of the March 14 alliance.

Works

Frangieh is the author The Journey to the Extreme of Violence that was published in 2011.