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Hoss has never been a distinct politician in terms of great words and plans, but has been more the type of technocrat who, at times, has appeared to provide the safe solution to Lebanon's many problems. As with most other politicians of his period, he has had a pro-Syrian attitude.Serving as the prime minister since 1976, he has been one of the main influences in helping to maintain Syria's continued supremacy over Lebanon's foreign and security policies.
Biography
1929 December 20 Born in Beirut into a Sunni Muslim family.
1952: Receives his B.A. in Business Administration from the American University of Beirut.
1957: Graduates with a M.A. in Business Administration from the American University of Beirut.
1961: Receives a Ph.D. in Economics and Business Administration from Indiana University.
1964: Joins the Kuwait Development Fund as a financial adviser.
1966: Becomes chairman of the Lebanese Banking Control Commission.
1973: Is appointed chairman of the Industrial Development Bank.
1976 December: Is invited by the newly elected president, Elias Sarkis, a former bank colleague, to head a government. Hoss appoints a cabinet of 8 technocrats. The government was given the right to rule by decree, because of the difficult situation in Lebanon following the start of the Lebanese Civil War. Over the next 4 years, Hoss wields pro-Muslim and pro-Syrian politics.
1979: Hoss forms a second government, this time with 12 cabinet members. He uses this term in office to develop a defense plan in cooperation with Syria.
1980 July 16: Hoss resigns as prime minister, and is followed by the short-lived government of Takieddin Solh.
1984 April: Becomes Minister of Labour and Education in the national unity government of Rashid Karami.
1987 June 1: When Karami is assassinated, Hoss is appointed acting prime minister.
1988 September: Michel Aoun is appointed by the outgoing president Amin Gemayel to be the head of a temporary military government, in opposition to Hoss's.
1989 November 24: With the new president Elias Hrawi, Hoss is asked to continue as prime minister. He forms a new government with 14 cabinet members, 7 Muslims and 7 Christians.
1990 December: With the end of the Civil War, and disarmament of most militias, Hoss resigns as prime minister. He is succeeded by Omar Karami.
1998: Heir apparent, Bashar al-Assad, of Syria, gets prime minister Rafiq Hariri removed from his position, and makes Hoss prime minister instead.
2000: Because the politics of Hoss has not resulted in any economic growth in Lebanon, Damascus starts transferring its support back to Hariri. At the parliamentary elections, Hariri gets the necessary support to become prime minister for the second time.