Hajim al-Hassani
Encyclopedia
Hajim Mahdi Saleh al-Hassani (born 1954, Kirkuk
) to a prominent Kirkuki family is an Iraq
i politician and was the speaker of the Iraqi National Assembly under the Iraqi Transitional Government
. A moderate Sunni Arab and relative outsider, having spent much of his life in the United States
, al-Hassani was tapped as a compromise candidate for the speaker's post after weeks of deadlock between Iraqi political parties. al-Hassani had previously been a member of the Iraqi Islamic Party
in exile and was Industry Minister under the interim government
of Iyad Allawi
.
Born in Kirkuk
, Hassani attended Mosul University and relocated to the United States in 1979. He studied at the University of Nebraska and earned a Ph.D. degree from the University of Connecticut
and then spent 12 years a CEO for an investment and trading company in Los Angeles
. While in the U.S., he was involved in the opposition to the Saddam Hussein
regime in exile, and was actively involved with the Iraqi Islamic Party
(IIP).
Hassani returned to Iraq following the U.S. invasion
in 2003 and worked with the Interim Iraqi Governing Council
appointed during the period of the Coalition Provisional Authority
. As the IIP wielded influence in the dangerous Anbar
province, Hassani was involved in negotiating a temporary truce with Fallujah
-based insurgents in 2004 and successfully stopped an imminent attack on the city.
Under the Iraqi Interim Government
of Iyad Allawi
, formed in 2004, Hassani was named industry minister in the new administration. He left the party when the IIP withdrew from the government, retaining his ministry post.
He joined the Iraqis coalition of Interim President Ghazi al-Yawer for the election
in January 2005. After the election the post of speaker was reportedly reserved for a Sunni Arab, and al-Hassani, one of only two candidates deemed acceptable to the range of parties, was offered the post.
He was elected to the Council of Representatives of Iraq in the Iraqi legislative election of December 2005 as part of the Iraqi National List
coalition led by Iyad Allawi
. He resigned from that coalition in September 2007, claiming Allawi was high-handed and lacking in vision. Later he formed Nationalist List and participated in the provincial election. He is considered by Iraqis as one of the moderate and liberal politician in Iraq after Saddam's regime and widely respected by most of politicians in Iraq.
Kirkuk
Kirkuk is a city in Iraq and the capital of Kirkuk Governorate.It is located in the Iraqi governorate of Kirkuk, north of the capital, Baghdad...
) to a prominent Kirkuki family is an Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i politician and was the speaker of the Iraqi National Assembly under the Iraqi Transitional Government
Iraqi Transitional Government
The Iraqi Transitional Government was the government of Iraq from May 3rd, 2005, when it replaced the Iraqi Interim Government, until May 20th, 2006, when it was replaced by the first permanent government....
. A moderate Sunni Arab and relative outsider, having spent much of his life in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, al-Hassani was tapped as a compromise candidate for the speaker's post after weeks of deadlock between Iraqi political parties. al-Hassani had previously been a member of the Iraqi Islamic Party
Iraqi Islamic Party
The Iraqi Islamic Party is currently the largest Sunni Islamist political party in Iraq as well as the most prominent member of the Iraqi Accord Front political coalition. It is currently part of the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki...
in exile and was Industry Minister under the interim government
Iraqi Interim Government
The Iraqi Interim Government was created by the United States and its coalition allies as a caretaker government to govern Iraq until the Iraqi Transitional Government was installed following the Iraqi National Assembly election conducted on January 30, 2005...
of Iyad Allawi
Iyad Allawi
Ayad Allawi is an Iraqi politician, and was the interim Prime Minister of Iraq prior to Iraq's 2005 legislative elections. A prominent Iraqi political activist who lived in exile for almost 30 years, the politically secular Shia Muslim became a member of the Iraq Interim Governing Council, which...
.
Born in Kirkuk
Kirkuk
Kirkuk is a city in Iraq and the capital of Kirkuk Governorate.It is located in the Iraqi governorate of Kirkuk, north of the capital, Baghdad...
, Hassani attended Mosul University and relocated to the United States in 1979. He studied at the University of Nebraska and earned a Ph.D. degree from the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
and then spent 12 years a CEO for an investment and trading company in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. While in the U.S., he was involved in the opposition to the Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
regime in exile, and was actively involved with the Iraqi Islamic Party
Iraqi Islamic Party
The Iraqi Islamic Party is currently the largest Sunni Islamist political party in Iraq as well as the most prominent member of the Iraqi Accord Front political coalition. It is currently part of the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki...
(IIP).
Hassani returned to Iraq following the U.S. invasion
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
in 2003 and worked with the Interim Iraqi Governing Council
Iraqi Governing Council
The Iraqi Governing Council was the provisional government of Iraq from July 13, 2003 to June 1, 2004. It was established by and served under the United States-led Coalition Provisional Authority...
appointed during the period of the Coalition Provisional Authority
Coalition Provisional Authority
The Coalition Provisional Authority was established as a transitional government following the invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies, members of the Multi-National Force – Iraq which was formed to oust the government of Saddam Hussein in 2003...
. As the IIP wielded influence in the dangerous Anbar
Anbar
Anbar was a town in Iraq, at lat. 33 deg. 22' N., long. 43 deg. 49' E, on the east bank of the Euphrates, just south of the Nahr 'Isa, or Sakhlawieh canal, the northernmost of the canals connecting that river with the Tigris.-History:...
province, Hassani was involved in negotiating a temporary truce with Fallujah
Fallujah
Fallujah is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. Fallujah dates from Babylonian times and was host to important Jewish academies for many centuries....
-based insurgents in 2004 and successfully stopped an imminent attack on the city.
Under the Iraqi Interim Government
Iraqi Interim Government
The Iraqi Interim Government was created by the United States and its coalition allies as a caretaker government to govern Iraq until the Iraqi Transitional Government was installed following the Iraqi National Assembly election conducted on January 30, 2005...
of Iyad Allawi
Iyad Allawi
Ayad Allawi is an Iraqi politician, and was the interim Prime Minister of Iraq prior to Iraq's 2005 legislative elections. A prominent Iraqi political activist who lived in exile for almost 30 years, the politically secular Shia Muslim became a member of the Iraq Interim Governing Council, which...
, formed in 2004, Hassani was named industry minister in the new administration. He left the party when the IIP withdrew from the government, retaining his ministry post.
He joined the Iraqis coalition of Interim President Ghazi al-Yawer for the election
Iraqi legislative election, January 2005
Elections for the National Assembly of Iraq were held on January 30, 2005 in Iraq. The 275-member National Assembly was a parliament created under the Transitional Law during the Occupation of Iraq...
in January 2005. After the election the post of speaker was reportedly reserved for a Sunni Arab, and al-Hassani, one of only two candidates deemed acceptable to the range of parties, was offered the post.
He was elected to the Council of Representatives of Iraq in the Iraqi legislative election of December 2005 as part of the Iraqi National List
Iraqi National List
The Iraqi National List is a coalition of Iraqi political parties who ran in the December 2005 Iraqi elections and got 8.0% of the vote and 25 out of 275 seats...
coalition led by Iyad Allawi
Iyad Allawi
Ayad Allawi is an Iraqi politician, and was the interim Prime Minister of Iraq prior to Iraq's 2005 legislative elections. A prominent Iraqi political activist who lived in exile for almost 30 years, the politically secular Shia Muslim became a member of the Iraq Interim Governing Council, which...
. He resigned from that coalition in September 2007, claiming Allawi was high-handed and lacking in vision. Later he formed Nationalist List and participated in the provincial election. He is considered by Iraqis as one of the moderate and liberal politician in Iraq after Saddam's regime and widely respected by most of politicians in Iraq.