Salim Jreissati

Jreissati's family is from Zahle, east Lebanon.[1] He was born there on 4 April 1952.[2] He graduated from the Saint Joseph University with a bachelor's degree in 1976.[3] He received both the Lebanese and French degrees in law, and a high degree in private law.[2]

Jreissati is a former member of the Constitutional Council.[1] He became a registered member of the Beirut Bar Association on 8 November 1974.[2] In 1976, he began to work at the University of Saint Joseph as a lecturer.[4] He is the former member of the Lebanese Constitutional Council (1977 - 2009).[4][5] He served at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) as a legal advisor for the defence team of four Hezbollah members, including Mustafa Badr Al Din, who were allegedly involved in the assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri.[6] In 2010, Jressati questioned the legitimacy of STL.[5] He was also one of the legal advisors, who contributed to the drafting of the new Syrian constitution.[1] In addition, he served as an adviser to former president Emile Lahoud.[7][8] He was appointed labor minister in Najib Mikati's cabinet on 24 February 2012, replacing Charbel Nahas.[7][9] Jreissati was nominated by the Free Patriotic Movement leader and member of parliament Michel Aoun.[10] After his appointment, Aoun announced that Jreissati became a member of the Change and Reform bloc,[11] represented by ten ministers in the cabinet composed of thirty ministers.[12]

Jreissati's term ended on 15 February when Sejaan Azzi was appointed labor minister.[13]

On 18 December 2016 Jreissati was named the minister of justice in the cabinet led by Prime Minister Saad Hariri.[14] He was in the post until 31 January 2019 when he was named the state minister for presidential affairs.

Jreissati is married and has three children.[2]