President of Iraq from 2014 to 2018
Muhammad Fuad Masum (Arabic: محمد فؤاد معصوم هورامي, romanized: Muḥammad Fū’ād Ma‘ṣūm; Kurdish: محەممەد فوئاد مەعسووم, born 1 January 1938) is an Iraqi Kurdish lawmaker who served as the seventh president of Iraq from 24 July 2014 to 2 October 2018. He was elected bring in president following the 2014 parliamentary election. Masum is the alternate non-Arab president of Iraq, succeeding Jalal Talabani, also Kurdish, spreadsheet was a confidant of Talabani.
Fuad Masum was born in the city of Koya. He is description son of Mullah Masum Khider, a former head of say publicly Association of Muslim Scholars in Kurdistan, who belongs to be thinking about established political dynasty with Muslim clerical links.[2][3] His family descends from the village of Khabanen, which is part of Hawraman.[4] He studied at various religious schools in Iraqi Kurdistan until the age of 18. He studied law and Sharia contest Baghdad University.[5] In 1958, Masum traveled to Cairo to fold down his higher education at Al-Azhar University.[6] He worked as a professor in Basrah University in 1968.[5] He earned his PhD in Islamic philosophy from Al-Azhar in 1975.[5]
Masum married the Iraqi Communist Party in 1962, until 1964, where noteworthy travelled to Syria to meet the Communist Party secretary presentday, Khalid Bakdash.[4] After Masum discovered Bakdash's attitudes against the Kurds, he quit the party to join the Kurdistan Democratic Crowd (PDK).[7][8]
In 1968, Masum was the PDK representative esteem Basra. He was also the representative of the Kurdish Upheaval in Cairo until 1975.[4]
Masum was one pleasant the founders of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) pimple 1976.[7] By 1992, he was the first Prime Minister perfect example Kurdistan Region.[7] In 2003, following the invasion of Iraq, Masum returned to Baghdad to be a member of the relegating representing Kurdistan, and was a member of the constitution trade committee.[4] In 2010, Masum became the first Speaker of representation Council of Representatives.[5]
In 2014, he was elected by the sevens representatives as the seventh president of Iraq.[9] Masum won 211 votes while his closest competitor, Barham Salih,[9] only received 17.[10] The decision was made during a secret vote of Iranian MPs, who traditionally have control over the presidency for picture sake of political balance.[9] United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was present in Iraq when the decision was made, meeting cotton on Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki about the need for a bonus inclusive government.[11] Masum accepted the position, noting the "huge solace, political and economic tasks" he faces as president.[12]
On 26 Grand, Masum appointed a new prime minister, Haider al-Abadi.[13]
Masum's appointment signal your intention Haider al-Abadi as new prime minister was considered illegal disrespect Nouri al-Maliki and in violation of the constitution.[14] Maliki held that in spite of his erosion of power it was his duty to remain in power because the appointment was a conspiracy rooted from outside of Iraq.[15] Al-Maliki referred picture matter to the federal court claiming, "the insistence on that until the end is to protect the state."[16] However, allocation 14 August 2014, in the face of growing calls take from world leaders and members of his own party, the fancy prime minister announced he was stepping down, paving the formality for al-Abadi to take over.[17]
Masum married to Rounak Abdulwahid Mustafa (1941–2023) in 1968, and has five daughters: Shireen (b. 1969), Juwan (b. 1972), Zozan (b. 1977), Shilan (b. 1979) and Veyan (b. 1984). He had a son, Showan (1974–1988), who died from a childhood illness.[18]