Myriam Skaff
{{Short description|Lebanese politician (born 1968)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Myriam Skaff
| birth_name = Myriam Gibran Tawk
| parents = Gibran Tawk (father)
| office = Leader of the Popular Bloc
| termstart = October 10, 2015
| predecessor = Elias Skaff
| nationality = Lebanese
| spouse = Elias Skaff
| children = Joseph and Gibran
| party = Popular Bloc
| birth_date = 1968
| native_name = ميريام سكاف
}}
Myriam Gebran Tawk ({{Langx|ar|ميريام جبران طوق}}; born 1968) is a Lebanese politician who is a prominent member of the Skaff family in the city of Zahle and the leader of the Popular Bloc, succeeding her late husband Elias Skaff.{{Cite web |title=الوكالة الوطنية للإعلام - سكاف في مهرجان انتخابي في زحلة: أبناء هذه المنطقة أوفياء وباقون على العهد |url=https://www.nna-leb.gov.lb/ar/parliamentary-elections/539290 |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=اﻷحداث |language=ar}}
Early life and education
Skaff completed her secondary education at the Athenee de Beyrouth school. She holds a BA in Social Sciences from the American International University in London-Richmond, followed by a secondary diploma in Women's Studies and later worked in the field of marketing in two French companies.
In politics
Following the death of Elias Skaff on October 10, 2015, she was elected head of the Popular Bloc and fought her first political battle in 2016. During the Lebanese municipal election of 2016 in Zahle, an attempt at forging an electoral coalition with the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces failed, prompting the Popular bloc to run against the Christian parties and Nicolas Fattouche list. The alliance broke definitively with the Change and Reform bloc.{{Cite web |date=2016-05-01 |title="القوات" لمريام سكاف: كفى تحريضًا |url=https://www.imlebanon.org/2016/05/01/lebanese-forces-reply-myriam-skaff/ |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=IMLebanon |language=en-US}}
The party resumed operations during the 2018 Lebanese general elections, however failed to win any seats with 10,563 votes in total.{{Cite web |title=Breakdown of Lebanon's new parliament |url=https://www.annahar.com/english/article/801537-breakdown-of-lebanons-upcoming-parliament |access-date=2022-05-08 |website=annahar.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=وزارة الداخلية والبلديات {{!}} التفاصيل |url=http://www.interior.gov.lb/AdsDetails.aspx?ida=281 |access-date=2022-05-08 |website=www.interior.gov.lb}} Skaff claimed that supporters of the Lebanese Forces had attacked her car.{{Cite web |last=National |first=The |date=2018-05-07 |title=Lebanon elections 2018: Peaceful vote marred by some street violence |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/mena/lebanon-elections-2018-peaceful-vote-marred-by-some-street-violence-1.727927 |access-date=2022-08-20 |website=The National |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=lebanons01 |date=2018-05-09 |title=Parliamentary Candidate Attacked in Zahle |url=https://civilsociety-centre.org/sir/parliamentary-candidate-attacked-zahle |access-date=2022-08-20 |website=Civil Society Knowledge Centre |language=en}}
In 2022, Myriam Skaff announced her candidacy of the Greek catholic seat in Bekaa I (Zahle) and led a 6-member list in the electoral district but failed to win any seats.{{Cite web |title=Candidate for the Catholic seat in Zahle Myriam Skaff to MTV: Our relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a family is special; no one replaces Elie Skaff, and today I am continuing his career, and I say to those who criticize families and traditionalists, go back to our history, as we have never stole the state funds |url=https://www.mtv.com.lb/en/news/articles/1280732/candidate-for-the-catholic-seat-in-zahle-myriam-skaff-to-mtv-our-relationship-with-the-kingdom-of-saudi-arabia-as-a-family-is-special;-no-one-replaces-elie-skaff,-and-today-i-am-continuing-his-career,-and-i-say-to-those-who-criticize-families-and-traditionalists,-go-back-to-our-history,-as-we-have-never-stole-the-state-funds |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=MTV Lebanon |language=en}}
Personal life
In 1995, she married former minister and MP Elias Skaff and has 2 children: Joseph and Gibran.{{Cite web |date=2009-04-30 |title=EliasSkaff |url=http://www.tayyar.org/Tayyar/FPMParty/ParliamentaryBloc/EliasSkaff.htm |access-date=2022-05-15 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430025622/http://www.tayyar.org/Tayyar/FPMParty/ParliamentaryBloc/EliasSkaff.htm |archive-date=30 April 2009 |url-status=dead}}{{Cite web |last=Interviews |date=2015-10-14 |title=Tribute to Elie Skaff |url=https://www.prestigemag.co/2015/10/tribute-to-elie-skaff/ |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=Prestige Magazine |language=en-US}} Myriam Skaff is also the cousin of Sethrida Geagea, wife of Lebanese Forces Chief Samir Geagea.{{Cite web |title=Geagea and Skaff: A Telltale Story of Selfies, Love and More |url=https://www.mtv.com.lb/news/articles/469032/geagea-and-skaff-a-telltale-story-of-selfies,-love-and-more- |access-date=2022-05-21 |website=MTV Lebanon |language=ar}}