Barham Salih facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barham Salih
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برهم صالح
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![]() Salih in 2019
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8th President of Iraq | |
In office 2 October 2018 – 17 October 2022 |
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Prime Minister | Haider Al-Abadi Adil Abdul-Mahdi Mustafa Al-Kadhimi |
Preceded by | Fuad Masum |
Succeeded by | Abdul Latif Rashid |
Prime Minister of Kurdistan Region | |
In office 28 October 2009 – 5 April 2012 |
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President | Masoud Barzani |
Preceded by | Nechirvan Barzani |
Succeeded by | Nechirvan Barzani |
In office 21 January 2001 – 15 July 2004 |
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President | Jalal Talabani |
Preceded by | Kosrat Rasul Ali |
Succeeded by | Omar Fattah Hussein (acting) |
Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq | |
In office 20 May 2006 – 20 August 2009 Serving with Salam al-Zaubai, Rafi al-Issawi
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President | Jalal Talabani |
Prime Minister | Nouri al-Maliki |
Preceded by | Rowsch Shaways |
Succeeded by | Rowsch Shaways |
In office 28 June 2004 – 3 May 2005 |
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Prime Minister | Iyad Allawi |
Preceded by | Coalition Provisional Authority |
Succeeded by | Rowsch Shaways |
Chair of Board of Trustees at The American University of Iraq, Sulaimani | |
In office 2007–2017 |
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Preceded by | Position established |
Succeeded by | Jill Derby |
Personal details | |
Born |
Barham Ahmed Salih
8 September 1960 Sulaymaniyah, Iraqi Republic |
Citizenship | |
Nationality | Kurdish |
Political party | Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (1976–2017, 2018–present) |
Other political affiliations |
Coalition for Democracy and Justice (2018) |
Spouse | Sarbagh Salih |
Children | 2 |
Residences | Radwaniyah Palace, Baghdad, Iraq |
Alma mater | Cardiff University University of Liverpool |
Barham Salih (Kurdish: بەرھەم ساڵح, romanized: Berhem Salih; Arabic: برهم صالح; born 8 September 1960) is an Iraqi Kurdish politician. He served as the eighth president of Iraq from 2018 to 2022.
Before becoming president, he was the prime minister of the Kurdistan Region. He also served as a deputy prime minister for the main Iraqi government. Barham Salih was chosen as president on 2 October 2018. He was the third president of Iraq who was not Arab. In October 2022, he did not win re-election and was replaced by Abdul Latif Rashid.
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Early Life and School
Barham Salih was born in 1960 in a city called Sulaymaniyah. When he was 19, in 1979, he was arrested twice. This happened because he was involved in a Kurdish movement. He was held for 43 days and treated badly.
After he was released, he finished high school. To avoid more trouble, he left Iraq and moved to the United Kingdom.
Family Life
Barham Salih is married to Sarbagh Salih. She is a leader and founder of the Kurdish Botanical Foundation. She also works to support women's rights. They have two children together.
His Career in Politics
Joining the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
Barham Salih joined the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in 1976. He worked for the PUK in Europe and was in charge of their international relations in London.
While working in politics, he also studied at university. He earned a degree in Civil Engineering from Cardiff University in 1983. Later, in 1987, he got a higher degree in Statistics and Computer Applications from the University of Liverpool.
After the Gulf War, when Iraqi Kurdistan became free from the Ba'ath Party, he was chosen to be a leader in the PUK. He then led the PUK office in the United States.
Working for the Iraqi Government
After the Ba'athist government fell in 2003, Barham Salih took on important roles.
- In 2004, he became the Deputy Prime Minister in the temporary Iraqi government.
- In 2005, he was the Minister of Planning.
- He also served as Deputy Prime Minister again, focusing on the economy.
He helped start a plan called the "International Compact with Iraq." This plan aimed to help Iraq become a peaceful, democratic, and successful country. In 2009, he appeared on a TV show called The Colbert Report. He thanked the U.S. military for their help in Iraq. He also mentioned that many Kurdish people wanted their own independent country.
Leading the Kurdistan Region Government
Barham Salih led the Kurdistani List in the 2009 Iraqi Kurdistan legislative election. His group won many seats. He became the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government.
During his time as Prime Minister, he faced challenges from other political groups. He survived an attempt to remove him from his job in 2011. He also signed an important oil deal with a company called ExxonMobil. In 2012, he stepped down as Prime Minister as part of a political agreement.
Starting a New Party and Returning to PUK
In 2017, Barham Salih announced he was leaving the PUK. He started a new political group called the Coalition for Democracy and Justice. He hoped to bring together other opposition parties. His goal was to challenge the main ruling parties in Kurdistan.
In the 2018 Iraqi parliamentary election, his new party won two seats. However, on September 19, 2018, Barham Salih decided to rejoin the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. The PUK then chose him as their candidate for the Iraqi Presidency. His former party later changed its name and was officially dissolved.
Becoming President of Iraq
On 2 October 2018, Barham Salih was elected as the eighth president of Iraq. He won with 219 votes.
In 2019, President Salih spoke out against a military action by Turkey in Syria. He said it would cause great suffering and help terrorist groups. He asked the world to work together for peace.
In March 2019, President Salih proposed a new law to help Yazidi women. These women had been held captive and suffered greatly. The law aimed to help them rebuild their lives and homes.
On 24 September 2019, President Salih met with U.S. President Donald Trump.
In December 2019, he offered to resign from his position. This happened because he disagreed with appointing a new Prime Minister that many protesters did not want.
Survived an Attack
On 2 April 2002, Barham Salih was targeted in an attack by a group called Ansar al-Islam in Kurdistan. Luckily, he survived the attack.
See also
In Spanish: Barham Salih para niños