He was born in Damascus in 1905, and his father was an officer in the Ottoman army.
He studied at the Military Academy and graduated in 1924, joining the Army of the Levant operating in Syria during the French Mandate.
After the French evacuated Syria, he was appointed commander of the Homs Military Academy in June 1946.
He participated in the Palestine War, where he became acquainted with both Husni al-Za‘im and Adib al-Shishakli, and joined them in the first coup against President Shukri al-Quwatli on March 29, 1949.
During Husni al-Za‘im’s rule, he was appointed military attaché to the Syrian delegation negotiating the terms of the armistice with Israel.
On August 14, 1949, he took part in al-Shishakli’s first coup, which thwarted the plan for unity with Iraq and overthrew Army Commander Major General Sami al-Hinnawi, who was backed by the Hashemite family in Baghdad.
Al-Shishakli did not take power himself but kept President Hashim al-Atassi in office while imposing the appointment of Fawzi Selu as Minister of Defense in all subsequent Syrian governments to prevent any rapprochement with Iraq.
He served as Minister of Defense from June 4, 1950, to November 28, 1951, in the governments of Nazim al-Qudsi, Khalid al-Azm, and Hassan al-Hakim.
When Maarouf al-Dawalibi came to power, he refused to follow al-Shishakli’s orders and appointed himself as Minister of Defense instead of Fawzi Selu. Al-Dawalibi was a leader of the People’s Party, which was aligned with the Hashemite ruling family in Baghdad.
Adib al-Shishakli revolted against him and staged his second coup, imprisoning all members of the government, which forced President Hashim al-Atassi to resign.
Just hours after Atassi’s resignation, a decree was issued appointing Fawzi Selu as Head of State on December 3, 1949.
His appointment as president was largely symbolic, as real power remained in the hands of Adib al-Shishakli.
On January 14, 1952, he issued a decision banning all political parties and suspending most daily newspapers.
He formed a government composed of ministry secretaries-general, followed by a formal government on June 8, 1952, where all ministerial portfolios were assigned to independent figures.
During his presidency, relations opened with Jordan following King Talal’s ascension to the throne after the death of his father, King Abdullah bin Hussein, and with Egypt after the Free Officers seized power.
On June 11, 1953, he resigned from the presidency to allow al-Shishakli to assume the role of President of the Republic.
After al-Shishakli’s regime was toppled in February 1954, an arrest warrant was issued against Fawzi Selu on charges of manipulating national security and overthrowing the constitutional system.
He fled to Saudi Arabia, where he worked as an advisor to King Saud bin Abdulaziz until the early 1960s.
He later returned to Damascus, withdrawing from political life, and passed away at the Harasta Military Hospital at the age of 67 on April 29, 1972.

In the Syrian Future Movement, as we recall the legacy of the founding statesmen of Syria, we highlight one of Syria’s influential figures and one of the symbols of the first Syrian state who played a role in shaping its structure. As one of the founding fathers of the Syrian army, President Fawzi Selu is featured in our serialized dossier, which presents the symbols and prominent figures of the Syrian state. Our aim is to connect our contemporary reality with a solid past and historic milestones, hoping to revive in our people the need to build and cultivate true statesmen. By learning from their experiences, overcoming their shortcomings, and building on their history, we preserve the homeland, safeguard its achievements, and restore Syria’s pride and glory after years of oppression, tyranny, and corruption.

Symbols and Figures of the State in Syria (21): Fawzi Selu

Symbols and Figures of the State in Syria (21): Fawzi Selu