Muhammad Baydoun was a moderate Lebanese politician who sat in Lebanon’s parliament from 1992 until 2005. He was also the minister of electricity and energy until 2005. He attended many rallies organized by the 14 March group.
On February 5, 1952, Baydoun was born into a Shiite household in Bachoura, Beirut. His ancestors were from Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon.
Baydoun earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Lebanese University and a doctorate in mathematics from Claude Bernard University in Lyon, France.
From 1976 through 1988, Baydoun was a mathematics professor at Lebanese University. He joined the Amal Movement as a prominent official in 1980.
Baydoun has also served as a government minister in several administrations. In Omar Karami’s cabinet, he was initially named minister of housing and cooperatives.
He held this position from December 24, 1990, to May 10, 1992. Then, in Rachid Al Solh’s government, he was named minister of electricity and water resources, a position he held from 16 May 1992 until 30 October 1992.
From 1998 to 2000, he was also a member of Prime Minister Salim Hoss’ government. In October 2000, Baydoun was named minister of electricity and water resources to Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s government. In March 2003, Nabih Berri, the Amal movement’s leader, removed Baydoun from the government.
Baydoun indicated in October 2012 that he was ready to become Parliament Speaker provided the March 14 Coalition supported his candidacy.
Baydoun also had commercial interests and served on the board of directors and the audit committee of the BL Bank.
At the start of the 2000s, Baydoun was a pro-Syrian politician with deep links to Damascus’ “old guard,” including Hikmat Shihabi and Abdul Halim Khaddam. Baydoun remarked in June 2008 that Saad Hariri was unable to unite the Sunni community, protect it, or construct state institutions.
A handful of feudal families have ruled Lebanon’s Shiite community. Although Baydoun was not a member of these families, he was among those with clout in the Shiite community. Baydoun died on May 17, 2022, of an unidentified disease.
