# First Cabinet of Rafic Hariri

The first cabinet of Rafic Hariri was the 61st government and one of the post-civil war governments of Lebanon. It was inaugurated on 31 October 1992 replacing the cabinet led by Rachid Solh.
Hariri's first cabinet lasted until 25 May 1995 and was succeeded by his second cabinet which would exist only until November 1996. The head of the state was president Elias Hrawi during the term of Hariri's first cabinet.

## Ministries and support

A number of new ministries was introduced through the establishment of the cabinet, including the state ministries for displaced, municipal affairs and ministry of public works. These institutions later had legal basis when the related laws were approved by the parliament.
Hariri's first cabinet was supported by nearly all Lebanese political parties which voted in favor of it at the parliament. The only political group which voted against the cabinet was Hezbollah.

## Cabinet members

Rafic Hariri's first cabinet was different from the previous Lebanese cabinets in that it did not follow the tradition of appointing the ministers based on their religious confession. Instead, the cabinet members were chosen by Hariri based on their eligibility for the posts.
Although the cabinet included some significant political figures, some of its members were technocrats and experts. Six cabinet members were part of the previous cabinet: Michel Murr, Marwan Hamadeh, Abdallah Al Amin, Fares Boueiz, Mohsen Dalloul and Michel Samaha. Nearly ten of newcomers were close allies of Prime Minister Rafic Hariri who also held the post of finance minister. Hariri's legal advisor and lawyer, Bahij Tabbara, was named as the justice minister. Three cabinet members were former militia leaders: Walid Jumblat, Elie Hobeika and Suleiman Franjieh, all of who were appointed minister of state.
In the cabinet there were two Armenian politicians: Shahé Barsoumian from the Tashnag Party and Hagop Demirdjian who was a member of the Armenian General Benevolent Union. The latter was also among the close confidants of Rafic Hariri. Georges Frem was the only cabinet member who was close to Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, patriarch of the Maronite Church in Lebanon.

## List of ministers

The cabinet was made up of the following members:
| Portfolio | Minister | Took office | Left office | Party |
| Prime Minister | Rafic Hariri | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | |
| Deputy Prime Minister | Michel Murr | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | |
| Minister of Finance | Rafic Hariri | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | |
| Minister of the Interior | Bishara Merhej | 31 October 1992 | 2 September 1994 | Independent |
| Minister of the Interior | Michel Murr | 2 September 1994 | 25 May 1995 | |
| Minister of Justice | Bahij Tabbara | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | Independent |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants | Fares Boueiz | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | Independent |
| Minister of Defense | Mohsen Dalloul | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | Progressive Socialist Party |
| Minister of Housing and Cooperatives | Mahmoud Abu Hamdan | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | Amal |
| Minister of National Education and Fine Arts | Mikhael Daher | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | |
| Minister of Health and Social Affairs | Marwan Hamadeh | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | Progressive Socialist Party |
| Minister of Labour | Abdullah Al Amin | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Lebanon Region |
| Minister of Industry and Petroleum | Assad Rizk | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | |
| Minister of Agriculture | Adil Qortas | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | |
| Minister of Economy and Trade | Hagop Demirdjian | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | |
| Minister of Information | Michel Samaha | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | Kataeb |
| Minister of Public Works and Transportation | Muhammad Bassam Murtada | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | |
| Minister of Post and Telecommunications | Muhammad Ghaziri | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | |
| Minister of Electricity and Water Resources | Georges Frem | 31 October 1992 | 11 June 1993 | |
| Minister of Electricity and Water Resources | Elie Hobeika | 11 June 1993 | 25 May 1995 | Promise Party |
| Minister of Tourism | Nicholas Fattoush | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | Independent |
| Minister of State | Ali Osseiran | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | Amal |
| Minister of State | Shahé Barsoumian | 31 October 1992 | 2 September 1994 | Tashnag Party |
| Minister of State | Bishara Merhej | 2 September 1994 | 25 May 1995 | Independent |
| Minister of State | Anwar Al Khalil | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | |
| Minister of State for Social Affairs and the Handicapped | Elie Hobeika | 31 October 1992 | 2 September 1994 | Promise Party |
| Minister of State for Social Affairs and the Handicapped | Shahé Barsoumian | 2 September 1994 | 25 May 1995 | Tashnag Party |
| Minister of State for Financial Affairs | Fouad Siniora | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | |
| Minister of State for Vocational and Technical Training | Hassan Izzedin | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | |
| Minister of State for Cultural Affairs and Higher Education | Michel Eddé | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | |
| Minister of State for Transportation | Omar Miskawi | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | |
| Minister of State for Emigrant Affairs | Rida Wahid | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | |
| Minister of State for Environmental Affairs | Samir Mouqbel | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | Independent |
| Minister of State for Municipalities and Villages | Suleiman Frangieh | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | Marada Movement |
| Minister of State for Affairs of the Displaced | Walid Jumblatt | 31 October 1992 | 25 May 1995 | Progressive Socialist Party |

## Resignations and removals

Georges Frem, minister of electricity and water resources, was removed from the post in June 1993 which caused the harsh criticisms by Maronite patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir against Rafic Hariri.