Hezbollah's acting leader Sheikh Naim Qassem was born in 1953 in Beirut and his political activism began with Lebanese Shi’ite Amal Movement. He was appointed the group's deputy chief in 1991 and served as one of Hassan Nasrallah's spokesmen. Qassem took part in meetings that formed Hezbollah and he has been the general coordinator of its parliamentary poll campaigns.