Barham Salih

Barham Salih
Giorgi Abdaladze, Official Photographer of the Administration of the President o · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Barham Salih
Native name	به‌رھەم سلێح
Birth date	1 September 1960
Birth place	Slemani, Kingdom of Iraq
Nationality	Iraqi Kurdish
Alma mater	University of Portsmouth, University of Bristol, University of Manchester
Occupation	Politician, academic
Party	Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
Office	President of Iraq
Term start	2 October 2018
Term end	17 October 2022
Predecessor	Fuad Masum
Successor	Abdul Latif Rashid

Barham Salih is an Iraqi Kurdish politician and academic who served as President of Iraq from 2018 to 2022. He has held senior roles within the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the Kurdistan Regional Government, and the federal institutions of Iraq. Salih's career spans engagements with international organizations including the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank, and universities such as the University of Bristol and the University of Manchester.

Early life and education

Born in Slemani in the Suleimaniyah Governorate of the former Kingdom of Iraq, Salih pursued higher education in the United Kingdom. He studied engineering and economics at the University of Portsmouth, followed by postgraduate work at the University of Bristol and a PhD-related program at the University of Manchester. During his student years he became active with Kurdish political circles, connecting with figures from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the Kurdistan Democratic Party, and exiled Kurdish activists who had ties to the broader Middle Eastern diaspora and institutions such as the United Nations.

Political career

Salih's political career began in the Kurdish movement and evolved through positions within the Peshmerga-dominated Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and federal Iraqi politics. He served as Deputy Prime Minister of the KRG and later as Prime Minister of the KRG, engaging with leaders from Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party factions and negotiating with Baghdad counterparts including representatives of Iraqi Islamic Party-linked coalitions and ministers from the Iraqi National Alliance. Salih also held federal office as Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq in cabinets formed after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, working alongside prime ministers from parties such as Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law Coalition and Haider al-Abadi's Victory Coalition. Internationally, he maintained contacts with delegations from the European Union, the United States Department of State, and multilateral lenders like the International Monetary Fund.

Presidency of Iraq

Elected by the Council of Representatives of Iraq in 2018, Salih assumed the largely ceremonial role of President of Iraq, succeeding Fuad Masum. During his presidency he engaged with prime ministers including Adil Abdul-Mahdi and Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, mediated between blocs such as the Coordination Framework and parties aligned with Muqtada al-Sadr, and represented Iraq at summits with leaders from Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, France, and the United States. Salih's tenure coincided with crises including the 2019–2021 Iraqi protests, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant insurgency's aftermath, and tensions over Kurdistan independence referendum (2017) fallout, requiring interactions with the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq and security bodies like the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service.

Policies and political positions

Salih advocated for Kurdish federalism within the Iraqi constitutional framework established in 2005, engaging debates tied to the Iraqi Constitution and the disputed territories such as Kirkuk Governorate. On foreign policy he promoted balanced relations with Iran and Turkey, and closer ties to the European Union and the United States, arguing for reconstruction partnerships with the World Bank and investment frameworks involving the International Finance Corporation. Salih emphasized anti-corruption policies aligned with demands from the 2019–2021 Iraqi protests and supported reforms to public finance linked to oil exports coordinated through the Iraqi Ministry of Oil and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. He spoke on transitional justice issues associated with atrocities by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and supported cooperation with bodies like the International Criminal Court and the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Controversies and criticisms

Salih faced criticism from rival Kurdish factions including elements within the Gorran Movement and some Kurdistan Democratic Party leaders over his handling of post-referendum negotiations and budget disputes with the federal government. Political opponents within the Council of Representatives of Iraq and allied blocs accused his office of insufficient action on the demands of protesters during the 2019 Iraqi protests, while some activists criticized his outreach to regional powers such as Iran and Turkey for allegedly compromising Kurdish autonomy. Accusations from analysts and former colleagues touched on patronage practices familiar in Iraqi and Kurdish party politics, prompting scrutiny from Transparency International-linked researchers and local civil society organizations like Iraqi Al-Amal Association and other NGOs focused on governance and human rights.

Personal life and honours

Salih is married and has children; his family life has been kept relatively private compared to other Iraqi politicians. He has received recognitions and invitations to speak at institutions including the Brookings Institution, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and various European universities. Salih's academic background and international experience have led to honorary acknowledgments from organizations in the United Kingdom and the United States and participation in panels with representatives from NATO, the European Council on Foreign Relations, and the Middle East Institute.

Category:Presidents of Iraq Category:Iraqi Kurdistan politicians Category:Patriotic Union of Kurdistan politicians