Masoud Barzani

Masud Barzani (Kurdish مسعود بارزاني, mesud Barzanî; Arab مسعود برزاني, DMG Mas ʿ ūd Barzani, born August 16, 1946 in Mahabad Mahabad Republic ) is a Kurdish politician and since 13 June 2005, President of the Kurdistan Autonomous Region in northern Iraq. In 1979 he took over the presidency of the Kurdistan Democratic Party ( KDP ) from his father Mullah Mustafa Barzani.

Life

Masud Barzani comes from the influential Kurdish Barzani tribe of the area from the Badinan. Born in the Republic of Mahabad, in which his father was a general in the local army, the family, the country had only one year after founding of the Republic to leave because of the crackdown by Iranian troops. Barzani's father moved with a retinue in the Soviet Union and Barzani himself remained in Iraq. After the military coup in Iraq in 1956 returned to the Father back and negotiated with the governance Abd al- Karim Qasim's about a Kurdish autonomy, but the talks failed and led to the outbreak of the Barzani revolts. One year after the outbreak of the revolt also the sixteen year old Barzani joined the armed struggle of the Peshmerga units. The father Mullah Mustafa Barzani was the founder of the KDP and its chairman until his death in 1979 as Masud Barzani took over the presidency; last of these was confirmed as party leader in 2010.

On 13 June 2005, Barzani was elected in the Kurdish Parliament by a large majority for four years as President of the Kurdistan Autonomous Region in the Iraqi federation. On July 25, 2009, he was confirmed by direct election with a majority of nearly 70 percent in office.

Barzani is married and the father of five sons and three daughters. Two brothers already deceased Masud Barzani were Idris Barzani and Ubaidullah Barzani.