Fayiz Sarraj
| Fayiz Sarraj | |
|---|---|
| Prime Minister of the Free State of Haifa | |
| In office 1609 AN – 1609 AN | |
| Preceded by | Ismael Todochev |
| Succeeded by | Erlo Sinders |
| Nationality | Haifan |
| Political party | Social Democratic Party |
Fayiz Sarraj was a Haifan politician who served briefly as Prime Minister of the Free State of Haifa in 1609 AN. A member of the Social Democratic Party, he formed a government after a parliamentary election early in 1609 AN at which the republic's founder Ismael Todochev lost the premiership, and he resigned within weeks, stating that he no longer commanded the confidence of his own ministers. He was succeeded by Erlo Sinders, who took the office on an interim basis. The restructure of the constitution that shortened the republic's parliamentary terms and reworked its head-of-state office was adopted under his government.
Premiership
Sarraj came to office at the first change of government in the republic's history. Todochev had held the premiership continuously from the proclamation of 1602 AN, together with the principality of Walstadt, the chief executive's office of the Fenkel Shipping Co., and command of the army. A parliamentary election early in 1609 AN returned a Social Democratic majority and cost him the office, and Sarraj formed the next government.
His ministry was among the shortest the republic had. He resigned within weeks of forming his cabinet, stating that he no longer held the confidence of his own ministers. Todochev accepted the defense ministry under the new government and then withdrew from Haifan politics altogether, and Erlo Sinders, the governor of the Wallis Islands, took the premiership after Sarraj on an interim basis.
The one lasting measure adopted under Sarraj's government was a restructure of the constitution, the third of the four constitutional texts the republic produced in eighteen years. It moved parliamentary elections from every six years to every three, reduced the term of the Governor-General from six years to four, and was the origin of the rule that the office was filled from among the republic's sitting regional governors. It remained the constitutional order under which Haifa was governed for the rest of its life.
Later career
Sarraj stayed with the Social Democratic Party after leaving office. At the republic's last general election in 1614 AN he stood fourth on the party's list, behind its leader Erlo Sinders, and was not returned to Parliament. The Social Democrats took two of the six seats, against four for the Haifan Democratic Party under Benjamin Meir.
See also
| Preceded by: Ismael Todochev |
Prime Minister of the Free State of Haifa 1609 AN |
Succeeded by Erlo Sinders (Acting) |
