Prime Minister Youssof Saleh Abbas of Chad

Ferhat Abbas was born on Oct 24, 1899, at Taher in the department of Constantine, Algeria, into a pro-French family of provincial administrators and landowners.

Until World War II Abbas accepted the validity of the colonial system and became a major spokesman for political reforms and the assimilation of Algerians and the French.

In 1946 Abbas was released and served as a member of the French Constituent Assembly in Paris.

In the subsequent civil war between Ben Bella's forces and the provisional government, Abbas supported Ben Bella and became president of the first Algerian Constituent Assembly.

In July 1964, when an insurrection broke out, Abbas was put under house arrest.

Ferhat Abbas was born in Taher to a family identified with French colonial rule.

The deportation of Messali in April 1945 contributed to the bloody uprising at Setif and Guelma in May Abbas was placed under house arrest.

Abbas was also elected to the Second French Constituent Assembly.

In fall 1962, Abbas was elected president of Algeria's National Constituent Assembly.

After Houari Boumédienne took over the government in June 1965, Abbas was released, but he refused to serve the military government.

Abbas was again placed under house arrest.

Besides Le jeune Algérien (1931), Abbas was the author of several important works: Guerre de Révolution d'Algérie: La nuit coloniale (1962) and Autopsie d'une guerre: L'aurore (1980) reflect upon the war years.

In L'indépendance confisquée, 1962 - 1978 (1984), Abbas expressed his disillusionment with postcolonial Algeria, but he also dedicated the book to the emerging new generation.

From September 25, 1962 to September 15, 1963, Ferhat Abbas was president of the constitutional assembly, but this institution was rapidly sidelined by Ben Bella, who had gained the presidency.