Fuad Masum

Fuad Masum was born in the city of Koya. He is the son of Mullah Masum Khider, a former head of the Association of Muslim Scholars in Kurdistan, who belongs to an established political dynasty with Muslim clerical links.{{cite web |url=http://iraqidinarchat.net/?p=28970 |title=Biography of President Fuad Masum, new President of the Republic of Iraq |date=24 July 2014 |publisher=Iraqi Dinar}}{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14544543 |title=Iraq profile - leaders |date=11 August 2015 |work=BBC News}} His family descends from the village of Khabanen, which is part of Hawraman.{{cite web |title=Who is Fuad Masum, the President of Iraq? |url=http://www.alsumaria.tv/news/106401/%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%87%D9%88-%D9%81%D8%A4%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%B5%D9%88%D9%85-%D8%B1%D8%A6%D9%8A%D8%B3-%D8%AC%D9%85%D9%87%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82/ar |website=ALSUMARIA |access-date=24 July 2014}} He studied at various religious schools in Iraqi Kurdistan until the age of 18. He studied law and Sharia at Baghdad University.{{cite web |title=Who is Fuad Masum, the new Iraqi President? |date=24 July 2014 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/arabic/middleeast/2014/07/140724_fouad_massoum_profile.shtml |publisher=BBC |access-date=24 July 2014}} In 1958, Masum traveled to Cairo to complete his higher education at Al-Azhar University.{{cite web |url=http://basnews.com/en/News/Details/Talabani-s-old-time-friend-becomes-candidate-for-Iraqi-President/28018 |title=Talabani's old time friend becomes candidate for Iraqi President | BAS NEWS |publisher=Bas News |access-date=24 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140727024319/http://basnews.com/en/News/Details/Talabani-s-old-time-friend-becomes-candidate-for-Iraqi-President/28018 |archive-date=27 July 2014 }} He worked as a professor in Basrah University in 1968. He earned his PhD in Islamic philosophy from Al-Azhar in 1975.

File:Secretary Kerry Meets With Iraqi President Masum (15021966337).jpg John Kerry at the United Nations headquarters, New York City (September 2014)]]

Masum joined the Iraqi Communist Party in 1962, until 1964, where he travelled to Syria to meet the Communist Party secretary there, Khalid Bakdash. After Masum discovered Bakdash's attitudes against the Kurds, he quit the party to join the Kurdistan Democratic Party (PDK).{{cite web |title=Who is the new Iraqi president, Fuad Masum Hawrami? |url=http://alhayat.com/Articles/3769824/%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%87%D9%88-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%A6%D9%8A%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%AF-%D9%81%D8%A4%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%B5%D9%88%D9%85-%D9%87%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%9F |website=Al Hayat |access-date=24 July 2014 |archive-date=14 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140814023042/http://alhayat.com/Articles/3769824/%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%87%D9%88-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%A6%D9%8A%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%AF-%D9%81%D8%A4%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%B5%D9%88%D9%85-%D9%87%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%9F |url-status=dead }}{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lDkUDgAAQBAJ&q=Masum+joined+the+Iraqi+Communist+Party+in+1962%2C+until+1964%2C&pg=PA645 |title=The Statesman's Yearbook 2016: The Politics, Cultures and Economies of the World |last=Heath-Brown |first=Nick |date=7 February 2017 |publisher=Springer |isbn=9781349578238 |language=en}}

In 1968, Masum was the PDK representative in Basra. He was also the representative of the Kurdish Revolution in Cairo until 1975.

Masum was one of the founders of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in 1976. By 1992, he was the first Prime Minister of Kurdistan Region. In 2003, following the invasion of Iraq, Masum returned to Baghdad to be a member of the delegation representing Kurdistan, and was a member of the constitution drafting committee. In 2010, Masum became the first Speaker of the Council of Representatives.

File:President Rouhani with Iraqi President Fuad Masum in Saadabad Palace 4.jpg in Saadabad Palace]]

In 2014, he was elected by the parliament representatives as the seventh president of Iraq.{{cite web |url=http://www.worldbulletin.net/headlines/141288/iraq-selects-fuad-masum-as-new-president |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150914204649/http://www.worldbulletin.net/headlines/141288/iraq-selects-fuad-masum-as-new-president |url-status=usurped |archive-date=14 September 2015 |title=Iraq selects senior Kurdish politician Fuad Masum president |publisher=World Bulletin |date=24 July 2014 |access-date=25 July 2014}} Masum won 211 votes while his closest competitor, Barham Salih, only received 17.{{cite news |url=http://www.interaksyon.com/article/91896/iraq-parliament-elects-fuad-masum-president-speaker |title=Iraq parliament elects Fuad Masum president: speaker |agency=Agence France-Presse |newspaper=InterAksyon |date=24 July 2014 |access-date=25 July 2014 |archive-date=25 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140725204428/http://www.interaksyon.com/article/91896/iraq-parliament-elects-fuad-masum-president-speaker |url-status=dead }} The decision was made during a secret vote of Kurdish MPs, who traditionally have control over the presidency for the sake of political balance. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was present in Iraq when the decision was made, meeting with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki about the need for a more inclusive government.{{cite web |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/iraq-gets-new-president-in-fuad-masum-un-chief-ban-ki-moon-seeks-more-urgency/articleshow/38982539.cms |title=Iraq gets new president in Fuad Masum, UN chief Ban Ki-moon seeks more urgency |agency=Agence France-Presse |work=The Times of India |date=25 July 2014 |access-date=25 July 2014 |archive-date=5 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140905195746/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/iraq-gets-new-president-in-fuad-masum-un-chief-ban-ki-moon-seeks-more-urgency/articleshow/38982539.cms |url-status=dead }} Masum accepted the position, noting the "huge security, political and economic tasks" he faces as president.{{cite web |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/iraq-elects-fuad-masum-as-president/article6246331.ece |title=Iraq elects Fuad Masum as president |agency=Associated Press |work=The Hindu |date=25 July 2014 |access-date=25 July 2014}}

On 26 August, Masum appointed a new prime minister, Haider al-Abadi.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28748366 |title=Profile: Haider al-Abadi, Iraqi PM in waiting |work=BBC News |date=11 August 2014 |access-date=12 August 2014 |author=Madi, Mohamed}} His appointment was considered illegal by Nouri al-Maliki and in violation of the constitution.{{Cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-security/maliki-defiant-as-his-special-forces-deploy-in-baghdad-idUSKBN0G808J20140811 |title=Power struggle on Baghdad streets as Maliki replaced but refuses to go |date=August 2014 |work=Reuters |access-date=12 December 2017 }} Maliki said 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.{{cite news |last1=Morris |title=Maliki asserts 'duty' to cling to power in Iraq; Iran's supreme leader weighs in |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/maliki-asserts-duty-to-cling-to-power-in-iraq-irans-supreme-leader-weighs-in/2014/08/13/af649782-22dd-11e4-8593-da634b334390_story.html |newspaper=Washington Post |date=13 August 2014}} Al-Maliki referred the matter to the federal court claiming, "the insistence on this until the end is to protect the state."{{cite news |title=Iraq's Incumbent PM Nouri Al-Maliki Grows More Isolated As He Clings To Power |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/12/iraq-maliki-isolated_n_5671154.html |date=13 August 2014 |access-date=14 August 2014 |work=Huffington Post}} However, on 14 August 2014, in the face of growing calls from world leaders and members of his own party, Maliki announced he was stepping down, paving the way for al-Abadi to take over.{{Cite web |url=http://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/14092017 |title=Baghdad's Shiites in bid to oust Kurdish president of Iraq |date=14 September 2017 |agency=Rudaw |access-date=12 December 2017}}

Masum married to Rounak Abdulwahid Mustafa (1941–2023){{Cite web |date=11 August 2023 |title=وفاة زوجة رئيس الجمهورية الاسبق فؤاد معصوم |url=https://www.kurdistan24.net/ar/story/321243 |access-date=25 February 2025 |website=Kurdistan 24 |language=ar}} 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.{{cite web |url=http://iraqidinarnewstoday.net/who-is-dr-fuad-masum/ |title=Who is Dr. Fuad Masum? | Iraqi Dinar News Today |publisher=Iraqi Dinar News Today |access-date=24 July 2014 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140728064939/http://iraqidinarnewstoday.net/who-is-dr-fuad-masum/ |archive-date=28 July 2014 }}

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Category:1938 births

Category:Al-Azhar University alumni

Category:Iraqi Kurdish people

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Category:Patriotic Union of Kurdistan politicians

Category:People from Koy Sanjaq

Category:Presidents of Iraq

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Category:Kurdish politicians