Barham Salih facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Barham Salih
برهم صالح
Salih in 2019
8th President of Iraq
In office 2 October 2018 – 17 October 2022
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
President	Masoud Barzani
Preceded by	Nechirvan Barzani
Succeeded by	Nechirvan Barzani
In office 21 January 2001 – 15 July 2004
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
President	Jalal Talabani
Prime Minister	Nouri al-Maliki
Preceded by	Rowsch Shaways
Succeeded by	Rowsch Shaways
In office 28 June 2004 – 3 May 2005
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
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Jill Derby
Personal details
Born	Barham Ahmed Salih (1960-09-08) 8 September 1960 (age 64) Sulaymaniyah, Iraqi Republic
Citizenship	Iraq United Kingdom
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.

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.

Salih meets with U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo in New York City on September 22, 2019.

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