Fuad Masum
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| Fuad Masum | |
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| Name | Fuad Masum |
| Native name | فؤاد معصوم |
| Birth date | 1938-01-01 |
| Birth place | Sulaymaniyah, Kingdom of Iraq |
| Nationality | Iraqi |
| Occupation | Politician, Mathematician |
| Office | President of Iraq |
| Term start | 2014 |
| Term end | 2018 |
| Predecessors | Jalal Talabani |
| Successors | Barham Salih |
Fuad Masum Fuad Masum is an Iraqi Kurdish politician and academic who served as the seventh President of Iraq from 2014 to 2018. A founding member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and a former member of the Iraqi Governing Council, he played roles in post-Gulf War Kurdish politics, the 2003 invasion of Iraq transition, and national reconciliation efforts. Masum's career spans ties with Kurdish leaders, regional powers, international organizations, and Iraqi institutions.
Early life and education
Masum was born in Sulaymaniyah, in the former Kingdom of Iraq during a period of monarchical rule that preceded the 1958 revolution. He studied mathematics at Baghdad University where he became involved with Kurdish intellectual circles linked to figures from the Kurdistan Democratic Party and later the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. Following academic work, he pursued postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom at institutions connected to scholars associated with University of Leeds, University of Oxford, and networks tied to Kurdish expatriates in London. His early life intersected with events such as the 1968 Iraqi coup d'état and the Algiers Agreement (1975) between Iraq and Iran which affected Kurdish politics.
Political career
Masum was a co-founder of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan alongside leaders like Jalal Talabani and operated within Kurdish movements influenced by the Iran–Iraq War and the aftermath of the Gulf War. He served in the Iraqi Governing Council established by the Coalition Provisional Authority after the 2003 invasion of Iraq and later was elected to the Iraqi National Assembly during the 2005 elections. Masum held parliamentary roles interacting with representatives from United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, delegations from the United States Department of State, envoys from the European Union, and diplomats from neighboring states such as Turkey, Iran, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. His legislative work connected him to committees involving constitutional processes tied to the Iraqi Constitution of 2005 and reconciliation initiatives relating to the Anfal campaign, the Iraqi Turkmen, and displaced populations after the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant insurgency. He maintained relationships with Kurdish regional institutions like the Kurdistan Regional Government and with pan-Arab parties including the Iraqi Islamic Party and the Iraqi National Movement.
Presidency (2014–2018)
Elected president by the Council of Representatives of Iraq after negotiations involving blocs such as the State of Law Coalition and figures like Nouri al-Maliki and Haider al-Abadi, Masum assumed office amid the ISIS crisis and territorial contests over cities including Mosul and Kirkuk. His presidency involved engagements with the United Nations Security Council, appeals to the European Parliament for support, and diplomatic exchanges with leaders from United States, Russia, Iran, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. Masum appointed prime minister-designates, mediated between Kurdish authorities and the central government during the 2017 Iraqi–Kurdish conflict, and oversaw formalities such as ratification of cabinets and endorsement of laws under the Iraqi Constitution of 2005. He engaged with issues tied to oil disputes involving the Iraq National Oil Company and the Kurdistan Regional Government Ministry of Natural Resources, and welcomed international assistance from entities like NATO and the World Bank in post-conflict reconstruction.
Political views and policies
Masum advocated Kurdish federalism consistent with provisions in the Iraqi Constitution of 2005 and supported negotiated settlement mechanisms involving the Kurdistan Regional Government and Baghdad. He emphasized national unity in statements to bodies such as the Arab League and the United Nations General Assembly, and promoted dialogue with groups including the Iraqi Communist Party and Sunni Arab coalitions represented by the Sahwa movement leadership. On foreign relations, Masum favored balanced ties among United States–Iraq relations, Iran–Iraq relations, and engagement with Turkey–Iraq relations to secure borders and energy exports. He pressed for accountability for crimes documented by organizations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, and supported de-Ba'athification reviews tied to the Iraqi Transitional Government and reconciliation commissions addressing the Camp Speicher massacre and other atrocities. His policy stances intersected with international law bodies including the International Criminal Court and economic actors such as the International Monetary Fund.
Personal life and legacy
Masum's personal network includes longstanding associations with Kurdish leaders such as Jalal Talabani, Masoud Barzani, and politicians across Iraqi spectra including Iraqi Presidents and prime ministers. He is known for a background in academia and mathematics linking him to universities in Baghdad and the United Kingdom. His presidency is remembered in analyses by think tanks like the Brookings Institution, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the Chatham House for its role during the ISIS conflict and the 2017 Kurdish referendum on independence held by the Kurdistan Regional Government. Masum's legacy is debated in scholarship published by journals associated with Middle East Institute and the Wilson Center, and in media coverage from outlets including BBC News, Al Jazeera, The New York Times, and The Guardian.