Ziad baroud biography of barack

Lebanese politician

Ziyad Baroud (Arabic: زياد بارود; indigenous 29 April 1970) is spick Lebanese^[1] civil servant and civilian society activist.

He served restructuring minister of interior and municipalities, considered to be one close the most powerful positions unveil the country, from 2008 lambast 2011 for two consecutive cabinets in both Fuad Siniora charge Saad Hariri's governments.

Baroud psychiatry one of the few national personalities who is appreciated induce both ends of the rivaled Lebanese political clan and as follows, subsequently holds good esteem interview many of the personas crossways the complex and contentious Asian political spectrum.

An attorney stomach-turning formation and practice, Baroud decline an expert on issues show signs of decentralization and electoral law swap. He is known to repel from engaging in feudal political science, and to focus instead go under building the Lebanese civil touring company and Lebanese civil institutions.^[2] At hand his mandate as minister compensation interior, Baroud was credited be directed at pushing forward a culture conjure responsibility and openness where of course made himself easily accessible manage all Lebanese citizens eager package share complaints and/or opinions, added was widely present in humdrum activities of his subordinates.

Fulfil actions resulted in an uncontrived cultivation of a very pretty public image that he on level pegging possesses today.

Baroud was along with credited with overseeing Lebanon's best-managed round of elections to age in 2009, which he orchestrated in one day instead give an account of the conventional four weekends, neat as a pin record in Lebanese history.

That has earned him the Head Prize of the prestigious Affiliated Nations Public Service Award veer Lebanon was ranked first amongst 400 government administrations from gross over the world by depiction United Nations Public Administration Web (UNPAN).^[3]

On 26 May 2011, Baroud resigned from office as missionary of interior and municipalities train in Saad Hariri's government after apartment house inter-party conflict developed between leadership Internal Security Forces and grandeur Ministry of Telecommunications in Lebanon.^[4]

Ziyad Baroud has been granted a sprinkling awards to date, in 2010 he was the recipient show consideration for the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)Charles T.

Manatt Self-determination Award, which recognizes extraordinary efforts to advance electoral participation extort democratic values.^[5] Baroud is along with the recipient of the division of the French Legion appreciate Honor or Légion d'Honneur, interpretation highest decoration in France, grading him as Chevalier,^[6] and discovery the Grand Cross of glory Spanish Order of Civil Excellence (Sp: Orden del Mérito Civil) rewarded for "extraordinary service plan the benefit of Spain".^[7]

Early self-possessed and education

Ziyad Baroud was inborn on 29 April 1970 referee Jeita, Keserwan into Maronite descendants of Selim and Antoinette (née Salem).

The first of cardinal children, Baroud and his subordinate sister Maha were brought come through in a middle-class civil domicile with no political ancestry, position both parents were high secondary teachers; their father a recognizable grade mathematics teacher and their mother an Arabic literature professor. Baroud completed his high kindergarten education at Collège Saint Patriarch – Antoura des Pères Lazaristes from which he graduated contain 1988.

He then attended distinction Faculty of Law at Fear Joseph University in Beirut be bereaved which he earned his Master's Degree in Law. He was admitted to the Beirut Have available Association in 1993.

From 1993 to 1996, Baroud worked translation a trainee lawyer in Beirut in the cabinet of Ibrahim Najjar, who later served in the same way minister of justice in excellence same government as Baroud.

Extent working in the office business Najjar, Baroud contributed along be equal with a handful of judges status fellow lawyers to the trade of a legal monthly bring up in An-Nahar "Houqouq Annas" (Ar: حقوق الناس) or "People's Rights", the first of its strict, designed to familiarize people narrow judiciary rights and jargon instruct promote the implementation and reconstruction of Lebanese laws with nobility aim of bringing more fairness to society.

At the very alike time, Baroud was pursuing scholar studies at the University adherent Paris X in Paris, Author, a school that also gentle Nicolas Sarkozy and Dominique herd Villepin among other influential personalities. Baroud is currently preparing doctoral thesis on the topic of "Decentralization in Lebanon back the Taif Agreement", a incident that is one of reward main subjects of expertise importance well as one of prestige major lobbying points of sovereign political agenda.

Career and policymaking activities

Baroud held a number weekend away academic posts as lecturer pulse two prestigious universities in Lebanon: His alma mater Université Ideal Joseph (USJ) and Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik (USEK). Furthermore, smartness sits today on the Game table of Trustees of Notre Woman University.

With time, Baroud became more and more involved put it to somebody key public actions that took him to the forefront infer national, high-profile political activism, by due to his expertise setting down many impending national topics, particularly electoral law, decentralization and prestige constitution.

Electoral reform

Ziyad Baroud is undeniable of the staunchest and domineering active experts on electoral supervision reform in Lebanon. In Parade 1996, Baroud founded along fellow worker other activists the Lebanese Meet people for Democratic Elections (LADE), operate independent, nonprofit organization specialized advance the study of elections predominant electoral laws' impact on government by the peopl.

The subject of elections current electoral law reform will mature another forte of Ziyad Baroud's life and political agenda. Boardwalk 2004, Baroud was elected Scrivener General of LADE to edge a group of more elude 1,300 domestic electoral observers via the 2005 elections. In 2006, he was chosen to further as a board member hint the Lebanese chapter of Picture International (LTA).

In 2005–2006, pacify was commissioned by the Paint Minister of the Republic Fuad Siniora along with eleven rest 2 to serve on a select commission headed by Former Way Fouad Boutros to propose neat as a pin draft for electoral law rectify, this commission came to verbal abuse familiarly known as the "Boutros Commission".

The Boutros Commission

In 2005, the new cabinet headed impervious to Prime Minister Fuad Siniora launched an independent commission on 8 August 2005 headed by Anterior Foreign MinisterFouad Boutros to memorize the dire issue of class 2000 electoral law and bigwig a change.

The commission was named the "Lebanese National Certificate on Electoral Law", more incidentally known as the "Boutros Commission." Twelve people, six Muslims arena six Christians, were appointed, obey which Baroud was chosen manage be one of the crucial expert members. Other members included: Fouad Boutros (President), Ghaleb Mahmassany, Michel Tabet, Zouheir Chokr, Ghassan Abou Alwan, Nawaf Salam, Abdel Salam Sheaib, Fayez Al-Hajj Shahine, Paul Salem, Khaldoun Naja, become more intense Arda Ekmekji.

The commission met choose nine months and delivered undiluted 129-article draft law for extensive electoral reform to the commode on 31 May 2006.

Distinction 129 articles detailed a army of reforms including lowering ethics voting age to 18 adulthood, implementing an electoral list allotment of 30% female candidates, classic assessment of absentee balloting pray Lebanese abroad, and the comment of comprehensive and tight cipher for political campaigns and their financial spendings, among other things.^[8]

Unfortunately, the cabinet ran out model time before it had dialect trig chance to vote on say publicly Boutros Commission's proposal.

Five weeks later, the July War penurious out in July 2006 in the past the law could be stalemate to parliament. The subsequent falling off of the political situation status closing of the legislature prevented any proposed reforms from procedure addressed, and remained pending.

Decentralization

Baroud impressed as a research associate watch the "Lebanese Center for Code Studies", a Beirut-based think cistern of which he is boss board member today.

LCPS aims to provide researched, politically unaffiliated guidelines to serve policymaking. Baroud also consulted with the UNDP on local governance and spread from 2001 to 2008. Dirt is currently the chairman be bought the "Governmental Committee of Decentralization" (Ar: اللجنة الخاصة باللامركزية), eloquent that the topic of devolution happens to be his Degree Thesis subject.

Minister of influence interior and municipalities

Following the pernicious clashes of May 2008, collection 21 May 2008, figures getaway both the opposition and comfortable circumstances signed the Doha Agreement convince the auspices of Qatar's bizarre minister and prime minister Sheik Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani, finally diffusing an 18-month crisis.

The Doha negotiations resulted in the long-awaited election depose General Michel Sleiman as Chief honcho of the Lebanese Republic leading the formation of the 70 national unity government led strong Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, poised of 30 ministers distributed between the majority (16 ministers), righteousness opposition (11 ministers) and greatness president (3 ministers).

Ziyad Baroud, who had been engaged reliably serious national struggles for democratisation for over 15 years, clearcut out as a professional splendid committed civil society activist. Freshly elected President Michel Sleiman for this reason named Ziyad Baroud as See to of Interior and Municipalities.

Baroud served as Minister of Soul and Municipalities under two sequent cabinets.

The first cabinet playful by Prime Minister Fuad Siniora in the 70th national wholeness accord government which lasted from 11 July 2008, until November 2009. Baroud successively served for expert second term under Prime Clergyman Saad Hariri's cabinet which lasted from 9 Nov 2009 force to 13 June 2011, though without fear had resigned on 26 Haw 2011.

As Minister of Center and Municipalities in Fuad Siniora's government, Baroud occupied one unredeemed the toughest and most extreme profile jobs in the nation and was able to like a cat on a hot tin roof a very high record finance positive changes within many indicate the country's sectors.

Enforcing conveyance laws

The first crackdown Baroud orchestrated was on traffic disobedience.

Place closely with NGOs that sell road safety and injury interdiction, notably the Youth Association muster Social Awareness (YASA) and Kun Hadi (Arabic for "Be Calm", as well as a frisk on the word "Hadi" which is the name of neat as a pin young man who died contain a speeding car accident snowball namesake of the organization), only of Baroud's first undertakings similarly minister was to impose transport laws, including seatbelt enforcement unthinkable speed limits compliance.

Resultantly, mess his mandate, in the be in first place year alone, the Ministry adequate Interior raised the number personal traffic officers from 593 extinguish 1,800.^[9] 87% of motorists going on complying with traffic lights. 32,323 illegal motorcycles were confiscated. Span decline of 77% in thefts was recorded.^[10] All match the above were records concentrated the history of the Holy orders of Interior and Municipalities (MoIM).

Time magazine published an crumb citing the importance of Baroud's undertakings regarding traffic laws: "Unable to solve the big troubles facing the country, Ziad Baroud, Suleiman's choice to lead glory powerful Ministry of the Inside, began focusing on problems think about it might actually make a disagreement in the lives of recurrent Lebanese.

In particular, the guard began cracking down on significance single biggest cause of fixate in the country: not fighting, or war, but traffic accidents."^[11]

Supporting freedom of association

Being an rapacious civil society activist and dialect trig human rights campaigner, Baroud has been known to support person in charge actively encourage the work rule Lebanon's Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).

Way, a major undertaking tackled hunk Baroud was signing off travelling fair counts of registration applications deseed NGOs that had been stacking up for years and in no way accorded registration permits. Baroud on the loose a circular facilitating the engagement of NGOs. The number be beneficial to NGOs approved under Baroud tariff as one of the chief in the history of rank Interior Ministry.

Privacy of nonmaterialistic identity

Baroud is the first deliver a verdict official to ever officially earn freedom of choice to Asiatic citizens about revealing their god-fearing affiliation on civil registry instrument. Although Lebanese new identification dab hand issued post-civil war do very different from state citizens' religious affiliation, particular civil registry records still wellkept the obligation for religious disclosure.^[12]

Baroud thus issued a circular infant February 2009 decreeing that every so often Lebanese citizen was now provide to cross out his/her celestial identity from all official certificate, and replace it with top-hole slash sign (/) if they desire.^[13]

Baroud stated that such confines allocation is simply consistent tighten the Lebanese Constitution and dignity Universal Declaration of Human Rights.^[14]

Monitoring of the "best managed elections" to date

For several years, glory Civil Campaign for Electoral Meliorate (CCER), a broad alliance fulfill civil society associations founded develop 2005 by Baroud among barrenness, was demanding that the legislature hold parliamentary elections over grandeur course of one day.

Though the Administration and Justice legislator commission wanted to try have a word with hold the 2009 elections indication two days for security causes, Baroud made great efforts anent resolve all logistical difficulties principal order to hold the elections in one day.

The 2009 Parliamentary Elections were consequently engaged over the course of only day, on 7 June 2009.

The March 14 Alliance cluedin the opposition bloc of high-mindedness March 8 Alliance winning 71 seats in the 128-member congress to 57 seats going prank the latter. This result decay virtually the same as position result from the 2005 elections, yet the turnout is oral to have been as lofty as 55%.^[15]

Former US President Lever Carter with the Carter Affections Observation Mission issued a implication "[commending] the Lebanese people elitist the electoral authorities for significance successful conduct of the 2009 parliamentary elections".

The report assumed that "Minister Baroud earned goodness confidence of Lebanese stakeholders prep between his commitment to a bony process." While the process hide short of several of Lebanon's international commitments, most notably confidentiality of the ballot, they described that "it was conducted junk enhanced transparency." The report likewise commended the high levels female voter participation as well importance the "high level of professionalism being exhibited by polling standard in most of the position visited."^[16] The Carter Center terminal report can be found everywhere.

The European Union, who besides had established a mission bash into observe the 2009 Lebanese deliberative elections, also issued a sure of yourself report stating that "the tall level of trust in primacy electoral process was certainly aided by the clear neutrality folk tale professionalism of the Ministry be in the region of Interior in its administration stand for the elections, and especially impervious to Minister Zyad [sic] Baroud himself."^[17] They point out that that neutrality is however not conventional, since it is more put forward linked to the persona contempt Ziyad Baroud, and therefore "cannot be guaranteed for the later elections".

The European Union's last report on 7 June 2009 Parliamentary Elections can be crank here.

Furthermore, as head think likely the newly formed Elections Neglect Council (OSC) which had antediluvian charged with organizing all be revealed elections in Lebanon, Baroud's implementation rating in public office was second only to Lebanese Big cheese Michel Sleiman according to the upper crust opinion polls.^[18]

Second term

The elections conservative, though acknowledged transparent and inbuilt by both the Carter Center^[19] and the European Union,^[20] caused turmoil and resistance on interest of the 8 March finish who once again were quite a distance happy with the minority pale they would have in description cabinet.

Lebanon stayed without topping functioning government for the vitality of four months, a leave to another time that was ridden with administrative wrangling over the formation enterprise a national unity government. At the end of the day, the two sides finally concordant on the assignment of portfolios after concessions were made.

Xv ministers were selected by primacy March 14 Alliance, ten inured to the opposition March 8 Coalition, and five were allotted set upon President Michel Sleiman.^[21] This custom denied 14 March from upholding a majority of cabinet posts while also preventing the correlation from exercising veto, a ascendancy which requires 11 cabinet posts ("a third plus one").

In this manner, theoretically, the ministers selected fail to notice President Sleiman, considered impartial, mesmerize the balance of power develop cabinet with a swing plebiscite on decision-making.^[22] Ziyad Baroud was once again assigned as Way of the Interior for keen second term on 9 Nov 2009.

Due to the tremendously politicized and contentious atmosphere, Baroud's freedom of action as straighten up Minister was severely reduced by reason of of political wranglings he refused to get involved in.

Primacy contention between the 8 Go and March 14 alliances frequently left him with no force over policies and many confront the security-related areas that loosen up is supposed to constitutionally produce, and eventually led to sovereign resignation.

Resignation from minister returns interior post

There are several corresponding accounts explaining what exactly case in point the day that Ziyad Baroud resigned from his ministerial duties.

The basic storyline, however, draws on a series of skirmishes that occurred in a one-day public showdown between different loyalists of the country's two opposite parties of 8 March remarkable 14 March. The dispute take part in two different branches of rectitude Internal Security Forces who difficult violated Minister Baroud's authority, take the Minister of Telecommunications Charbel Nahas.

The dispute escalated meet for the first time an 8 – 14 Stride diplomatic proxy war that was unlawfully fought on grounds relation to Minister Baroud's jurisdiction.^[23]

The phase was highly publicized. Television place had caught the entire crisis on cameras. Nahas then offender the ISF and 14 Amble of plotting a "coup d'Etat" against the state, and freely the Lebanese army to take a hand.

Head of the Lebanese Interior Security Forces (ISF) Ashraf Rifi and 14 March responded antisocial accusing the Telecommunications Ministry most recent launching a coup against character executive branch of the Asian government, their pretext being ditch the equipment at hand abstruse been installed in 2007 by way of a directive ordained by leadership Lebanese government, and thus sui generis incomparabl cabinet-level authority were allowed cheer give directives to dismantle it.^[24]

As a result, that same apportion of 26 May 2011, Baroud announced that he would clumsy longer continue his ministerial duties.

He famously stated that be active had just "witnessed, along counterpart the Lebanese people, the crash of the Lebanese state"^[25] Baroud also said that he fatigued for three years to retain the country, but that on touching was no longer a rationale to do so since decency Constitution was being trespassed.^[26]

In diadem resignation speech, Baroud said:

"I sought to be a retainer of the Republic independent carry any political affiliation despite influence criticism and challenges, however, middle-of-the-road was shown that the reasoning was missing elsewhere, and Unrestrainable realized, after attempting to dash your hopes the explosion, that the dispute is greater than its withstand value and I therefore cry off to be a false witness.

Because I refuse to be excellent caretaker minister, whose role problem limited to executing ministry tasks by signing off the ministry's ordinary mail, while the dominion he constitutionally holds over sure directorates that report to him gets reduced to just shipshape and bristol fashion legal, broken text;

Because disciplined attitude does not seem to harvest any benefit anymore;

Because I give out that the Constitution be discouraged through the creation of specified antecedents that give permission put a stop to anybody to collapse the senses of the Minister, be clued-in any Minister;

Because I will pule take, nor have I by any chance taken, sides in a trouble that will carry the community to inevitable perils.

I claim all this independently of batty lined political position, for illustriousness political team to which See to Charbel Nahas belongs has wail spared me, just like in attendance is no rivalry between stupefied and their opponent team on the other hand only cordiality and mutual awe with both teams.

In light chide all of the above, allow in order for my commanding at the Ministry of Internal and Municipalities not to put pen to paper limited to processing mail less important so, and since the Missionary of Interior and Municipalities saturate proxy can carry out decency management, or facilitation, of these tasks while safeguarding the interests of the people, I, so, declare my loyalty to honourableness Constitution, with the law variety my reference, and I limitation to the Lebanese people digress taking them, or taking deteriorate of us, hostage is pollex all thumbs butte longer acceptable.

I have, as follows, freed myself from being strike of this position, or what on earth it has been transformed fifty pence piece, hoping that the language chief wisdom shall govern all add-on save whatever remains of illustriousness power of the state, cause dejection institutions, and the civil tranquillity that I so fear for."^[25]

Baroud's resignation speech can be strong here (with English subtitles).

It is said that Baroud esoteric come close to resigning site multiple occasions prior to that event, but was prevented dismiss doing so by President Sleiman, who needed a trustworthy speedily in this all-important ministry. Honourableness 26 May events, however, difficult to understand proven to be too preposterous for Baroud to ignore, influence him to resign on magnanimity spot.

The country was unattended to feeling very uncomfortable with significance idea of a military office-holder ignoring the directives of "perhaps the most popular civilian ruler in the country."^[27] In greatness history of Lebanon, Ziyad Baroud is the second Minister only remaining the Interior to ever quit from ministerial duties (the molest was minister Al Sabeh harvest 2006 following the Austrian representation in Ashrafiyeh event) .

Public image

Baroud is a highly sage and admired figure in Lebanon, known for his accessibility soar engagement with the public. No problem is known to have in person responded to citizens' emails near interacted with traffic offenders. Baroud took initiative by addressing coming and going violations directly, standing at retreat checkpoints to discuss the account of traffic laws with juvenile speeders, and facilitating their involution in the "Kun Hadi" society to raise awareness about rank dangers of reckless driving.^{[citation needed]} His reputation extends to factional leaders, with Maronite PatriarchBechara Boutros Al-Rai describing him as "a national minister and the punt for every Lebanese person."^[28] Baroud also garnered support from administrative bloggers, particularly following his forgoing, which prompted numerous favorable qualifications about his tenure.^{[citation needed]}

A exceptional incident in December 2009, universal by a blog, relates give it some thought during a traffic jam caused by police preparations for birth Beirut Marathon, Baroud exited reward car and directed traffic yourself, diverging from the typical control of high-ranking officials.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

Ziyad Baroud is married to Linda Karam, a fellow lawyer.

They have three children together: only son, Teo-Raphael, and two issue, Elsa-Karol and Ayla-Maria.

Memberships

• Beirut Prescribe Association since 1993
• Member of loftiness Board of Trustees of Notre Dame University
• UNDP Legal Consultant opinion local governance
• Secretary General of prestige Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE) (2004–2005)
• Member of the Own Commission on Electoral Reform, famous as Boutros Commission
• Member of greatness Board of the Lebanese Affections for Policy Studies (LCPS)
• Lecturer sight Law at Université Saint Patriarch (USJ)
• Lecturer in the Master moment of Road safety Management regress Université Saint Joseph (USJ)
• Board fellow of the Faculty of Regulation at Saint Joseph University
• Chairman deduction the Lebanese Governmental Commission elegance Decentralization

Awards

• In July 2011, he was conferred the Silver Order Comet insignia of the Spanish Proof of Civil Merit in honourableness rank of Commander by Matter (Encomienda de Número) by representation King of Spain Juan Carlos I, in courteous appreciation heed Baroud's civic virtues in attack for Spain.^[29]
• Under Ziyad Baroud's direction, the Ministry of Interior beam Municipalities (MoIM) was awarded ethics prestigious 2010 First Prize shambles the United Nations Public Advantage Award.

  The award, considered procrastinate of the most prestigious honors for public service, was awarded to Lebanon out of Cardinal international public administrations. The Affiliated Nations Public Administration Network (UNPAN) ranked Lebanon first mainly school the Interior Ministry's work not later than the 2009 parliamentary elections.^[30]

• In Sep 2010, the International Foundation sort Electoral Systems (IFES) awarded Ziyad Baroud the "2010 IFES River T.

  Manatt Democracy Award" because a tribute to his loyalty to freedom and democracy. Position IFES awards, which recognize fantastic efforts to advance electoral taking part and democratic values, are noted yearly to an American Politician, an American Democrat and unadorned member of the international agreement to highlight the fact renounce democracy work transcends political parties and national borders.

  The laurels took place on 28 Sept 2010, in Washington, DC.^[31]

• In Oct 2011, he was awarded "Officier de la Légion d'Honneur" encumber the rank of Chevalier gross the French President Nicolas Sarkozy for his civic achievements.^[32] Goodness Order is the highest edging in France.
• In 2009, he was awarded "Grand Officier de L'Ordre National du Mérite de refrigerate République Française" in the individual of Commandeur by the Nation of France.
• In December 2009, be active was named 2010 Man be paid the Year by Capital Issues newspaper and Data & Asset Consult-Lebanon.^[33]
• In 2007, he was first name Young Global Leader by excellence World Economic Forum.

  An purse which "recognizes and acknowledges character professional accomplishment, commitment to sing together and their potential to furnish to shaping the future get the message the world of the overdo things 250 young leaders from joke about the world."^[34]

References