Ferhat Abbas | |
|---|---|
فرحات عباس | |
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| President of thePeople's National Assembly | |
| In office 25 September 1962 – 15 September 1963 | |
| Preceded by | Position Established |
| Succeeded by | Hadj Mohamed Benalla |
| President of theProvisional Government of the Algerian Republic | |
| In office 19 September 1958 – 9 August 1961 | |
| Vice President | Krim Belkacem[1] |
| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | Benyoucef Benkhedda |
| Member of the French Constituent Assembly | |
| In office 1946–1955 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1889-08-24)24 August 1889 Taher, Algeria |
| Died | 24 December 1985(1985-12-24) (aged 96) Algiers, Algeria |
| Political party | FLN |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Algeria |
| Branch/service | French Army |
| Years of service | 1936–1938, 1940–1943 |
| Unit | Medical Corps |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Ferhat Abbas (Arabic:فرحات عباس;ALA-LC:Farḥāt ʿAbbās; 24 August 1889[2] – 24 December 1985)[3][4][nb 1] was anAlgerian politician who acted in a provisional capacity as the then yet-to-become independent country'sPrime Minister from 1958 to 1961, as well as the first President of the National Assembly and the first acting Chief of State after independence.
An influential figure in the Young Algerians, Abbas initially advocated for equal political rights for Algerian Muslims in France and for the granting of French citizenship for Algerian Muslims.[7] Over time, he became a revolutionary Algerian nationalist.[7]
The son of acaid, Said Ben Ahmed Abbas and Achoura (Maza) Abbas, Ferhat Abbas was born in the village ofTaher,Algeria.[4][6] In addition to being a caid in the village ofChahna, his father had also been awarded the rosette and silver braid of a commander of theLegion of Honor.[6]
The young Abbas was educated first at Phillipeville (now calledSkikda),Constantine, where he received his baccalaureate. Before finishing his education, he was required to serve in the French army medical corps where he reached the rank of sergeant. Abbas then attended the pharmacy school at theUniversity of Algiers.[5][6] After graduating, Abbas worked as a pharmacist inSétif, where he became involved in politics. There he was elected to the municipal council and then to the general council of Constantine.[5]
During this period Abbas was pro-French in his outlook, as illustrated by such writings as an article dated 1936 titled "I am France".[6] However Abbas became disillusioned with France, during 1938, when his aspirations for equality showed no sign of being achieved. He accordingly organized the Algerian Popular Union (Union Populaire Algerienne). This organization promoted equal rights for both French and Algerians whilst maintaining Algerian culture and language as primary values.[5]
With the outbreak ofWorld War II, Abbas volunteered to rejoin the medical corps of the French Army. After his service, his political views continued to evolve and he turned away from France afterGeneral Giraud refused his requests to allow Muslims to enlist in their fight against the occupying forces as equals.[6] His desire for change continued and he turned tonationalism, issuing theManifesto of the Algerian People on February 10, 1943.[5] The manifesto made apparent the philosophical changes that Abbas had undergone. He now condemned colonial rule by the French and demanded Algerianself-determination. Abbas argued the need for an Algerian constitution, which would grant equality to all Algerians. In May he, along with some colleagues, added a clause foreseeing a sovereign Algeria.[5] The manifesto was published on June 26, but was rejected by the governor general. He, along withMessali Hadj form theAmis du Manifeste et de la Liberté[nb 2], and called for an autonomous republic. This initiative resulted in Abbas being imprisoned for a year, and the quick dissolution of the AML.[5] In 1946, Abbas formed the nationalist political partyUnion Démocratique du Manifeste Algérien (UDMA)[nb 3] when he was elected member of theConstituent Assembly of France. This new organization called for a more moderate approach, such as the formation of an Algerian state with the full cooperation of France. 1946 also saw him named as editor of the publicationEgalité.[9] He remained active in politics as a member of the Algerian Assembly through 1955. During these years he was arrested twice. His continuing efforts as a moderate nationalist did not succeed and he fled toCairo, in 1956.[8] While in Cairo, he worked alongsideAhmed Ben Bella, a fellow revolutionary.[10]
As he was opposed to violence, Ferhat kept himself distant from theAlgerian War, and continued to try to act as an intermediary to the opposing sides. However, after the French government intensified the war, in 1956, Ferhat joined theFront de Libération Nationale (FLN).[8][9] His diplomatic skills were utilized by the FLN, as he was sent on missions sponsored by their ally, PresidentHabib Bourguiba ofTunisia. His visits throughLatin America,Europe, and theMiddle East were intended to drum up support for their cause. In 1957, he was appointed as the FLN delegate to theUnited Nations.[9] In 1958, he attended the North African Conference inTunis, and in March, he communicated an appeal to theVatican for their assistance in creating peace.[9] After the collapse of theFourth Republic and the coming to power ofCharles de Gaulle, the hopes for an independent Algeria increased. This however did not end the fighting and on September 18[nb 4] of that year, theProvisional Government of the Algerian Republic (GPRA) was created. His political standing in Algeria and reputation as a moderate nationalist, acceptable to the West, helped him become president of this provisional Algerian nationalistgovernment-in-exile on September 18, 1958, when it was created.[8] The position of President was largely as a figurehead and a diplomat, as most of the power was wielded by the cabinet; however in time a number of Asian and African nations recognized the government. In October 1958, an attempt was made by both Abbas and de Gaulle at ending the war with a meeting and intended cease-fire, but it was dashed by the inability of the parties to agree on a neutral location. By September 16, 1959, de Gaulle was softening as he offered self-determination to be decided by a referendum four years after a cease-fire. This plan was generally accepted; unfortunately, there were a few substantial sticking points.[9] By 1960, Abbas was becoming frustrated with the West as he lashed out at theUnited Kingdom and theUnited States for supplying weaponry to France. With talks breaking down in June 1960, Abbas turned to the east and by September was visiting withCommunist China, and theSoviet Union, where he was welcomed warmly.[11] Abbas reassured the West by stating that his new alliances were opportunism, when he stated that
We prefer to defend ourselves with Chinese Arms than to allow ourselves to be killed by the arms of the West.[11]
On August 27, 1961, he resigned andBenyoucef Ben Khedda took his place.[6] He then subsequently joinedAhmed Ben Bella's andHouari Boumédiène'sOujda Group in opposition to the GPRA, which was subsequently dismantled.
Due to Pakistan's support to the cause of Algerian struggle for independence and self-determination, Ferhat Abbas was given a Pakistani diplomatic passport for his foreign travels.[12][page needed][13][14][page needed]
 | This articleis missing information about his time as the first acting President of Algeria. Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on thetalk page.(September 2018) |
Algeria gained independence on July 5, 1962, and from September 25, 1962, to September 15, 1963, Ferhat Abbas was president of the constitutional assembly, but this institution was rapidly sidelined by Ben Bella, who had gained the presidency. Abbas resigned in protest at the FLN's decision to write the constitution outside of the constituent assembly's authority.[15] He was subsequently expelled from the FLN, and was then placed underhouse arrest from 1964 until 1965.[8]
In March 1976, he signed a statement alongsideBenyoucef Benkhedda that called for a democratic constituent assembly against the country's powerful military-backed President, Col.Houari Boumédiènne and was again placed under house arrest.[16] Still, he received official recognition in the form of a state decoration, theMedal of Resistance, on October 30, 1984.[17] Abbas died in his sleep on 24 December 1985. He is buried at theEl Alia Cemetery.
Articles written in his youth are collected inLe Jeune Algérien: de la colonie vers la province (The Young Algerian: From Colony to Province) (1931). His ideas on democracy and views on history were set out in a series of essays includingLa nuit coloniale (The Colonial Night) (1962),Autopsie d'une guerre (Autopsy of a War) (1980)[8] andL'indépendance confisquée (1984).[18]
Ferhat enjoyed soccer, horseback riding, and reading, in particular,Victor Hugo andSophocles.[6] He married Marcelle Stöetzel, an Algerian-born French national on 17 September 1945. Halim was their only child, a son.[11]
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by None | Head of theProvisional Government of the Algerian Republic 1958–1961 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded byas President of the Provisional Executive Council of Algeria | Head of State of Algeria 1962–1963 | Succeeded byas President of the Republic |
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