René Moawad (; 17 April 1925 – 22 November 1989) was a Lebanese politician who served as the 9th President of Lebanon. He served for 18 days, from 5 to 22 November 1989, before his assassination by unknown assailants. Early life and education Mouawad was born in 1925 to parents Anis Moawad and Evelyn Shalhoub. He was educated at De La Salle School in Tripoli, before pursuing his secondary education at Collège Saint Joseph – Antoura des Pères Lazaristes. He went to Saint Joseph University in Beirut and graduated with a law degree in 1947. He subsequently joined the law firm of Abdallah El-Yafi, a former Prime Minister; before opening his own law firm in Tripoli in 1951. Parliamentary career Moawad made his first foray into politics in 1951, when he unsuccessfully contested a Zgharta seat in the National Assembly. Although he was defeated, the election forged a crucial alliance between him and the Frangieh clan. He was subsequently elected to the National Assembly in 1957, and reelected in 1960, 1964, 1968, and 1972 - the last parliamentary election held before his election to the presidency (the civil war that raged from 1975 to 1990 prevented further elections from being held in the meantime). In 1952, Moawad was briefly arrested and detained in Aley for participating in the national uprising that forced the resignation of President Bechara El Khoury, Lebanon's first post-independence leader. He also fell out with Khoury's successor, Camille Chamoun, when the latter hinted at a possible constitutional change to extend his six-year term which was due to expire in 1958. He went into exile in Latakia, Syria. It was during his exile that he won his first election to the National Assembly. Moawad became a strong supporter of Chamoun's successor, Fuad Chehab. He chaired the Parliamentary Law Committee and the Finance and Budget Committee. He served as Minister of Posts and Telecommunications in the government of Prime Minister Rashid Karami (also a Chehabist) from 31 October 1961 to 20 February 1964. He later served as Minister of Public Works, again under Karami, from 16 January to 24 November 1969, during the presidency of Chehab's successor, Charles Helou. In 1970, he supported Chehabist presidential candidate and old friend Elias Sarkis against his old ally Suleiman Frangieh. Frangieh won the election by a single vote. On 25 October 1980, Moawad returned to the Cabinet as Minister of National Education