Jalal Talabani

Quick Facts

• Region: Kelkan, northern Iraq
• Born: 1933, Kelkan (Iraq)
• Died: October 3, 2017, Berlin, Germany
• Known for: Co-founding the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, President of Iraq

Overview

Jalal Talabani was a Kurdish politician who played a central role in Iraqi and Kurdish politics for decades. He co-founded the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and became the first Kurdish president of Iraq in 2005.

Known for his political pragmatism, Talabani worked to bridge divisions within Iraq after 2003 while also advocating Kurdish rights.

Life and Leadership

Talabani joined the Kurdish political movement in his youth and later broke with the KDP to form the PUK in 1975. As president, he served three terms and was an influential voice during Iraq’s post-2003 transition.

Legacy

His presidency symbolized Kurdish participation at the highest level of Iraqi governance, and he remains one of the most prominent Kurdish political leaders of the modern era.