Rushdi al-Kikhya ( ar, رشدي الكيخيا; 1899– 14 March 1987) was a Syrian political leader who founded the People's party in 1948. Kikhya was elected as a

Speaker of the Parliament of Syria The Speaker of the People's Assembly of Syria (Arabic: رئيس مجلس الشعب السوري rayiys majlis alshaeb alsuwrii) represents the People's Assembly of Syria, People's Assembly, Syria's legislature, signs documents and speaks on its ...

between 1949 and 1951, and he was elected five terms as a member of the

Syrian Parliament The People's Assembly ( ar, مَجْلِس الشَّعْب, ) is Syria's legislative authority. It has 250 members elected for a four-year term in 15 multi-seat constituencies. There are two main political fronts; the National Progressive Fro ...

(MP) (1936, 1943, 1947, 1949 and 1954). Kikhiya also served as minister of interior in 1949.

Career

Rushdi al-Kikhya was born and raised in Aleppo and studied law at the

Sorbonne Sorbonne may refer to: * Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities. *the University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970) *one of its components or linked institution, ...

in Paris. In 1939, Kikhya clashed with the Bloc leadership, however, over their failure to prevent Turkey's annexation of the

Sanjak of Alexandretta The Sanjak of Alexandretta ( ar, لواء الإسكندرونة '', '' tr, İskenderun Sancağı, french: Sandjak d'Alexandrette) was a sanjak of the Mandate of Syria composed of two qadaas of the former Aleppo Vilayet ( Alexandretta and Antio ...

, territory in northern Syria that had once been part of the Ottoman Empire. Kikhya joined Nazem al-Qudsi , also form Aleppo, and campaigned against the election of

Shukri al-Quwatli Shukri al-Quwatli ( ar, شكري القوّتلي, Shukrī al-Quwwatlī; 6 May 189130 June 1967) was the first president of post-independence Syria. He began his career as a dissident working towards the independence and unity of the Ottoman E ...

, the National Bloc candidate for the presidency in 1943. In 1948, Kikhiya founded the People's party with Nazem al-Qudsi and

Mustafa Bey Barmada Mustafa Bey Barmada ( ar, مصطفى برمدا; 1883 – April 2, 1953) was a Syrian statesman, politician and judge; served as the Governor General of the State of Aleppo between 1923 and 1924 and headed the Judiciary of Syria between 1930s an ...

. Khikhya supported the coup that ousted

Husni al-Za'im Husni al-Za'im ( ar, حسني الزعيم ''Ḥusnī az-Za’īm''; 11 May 1897 – 14 August 1949) was a Syrian military officer and politician of Kurdish origin. Husni al-Za'im, had been an officer in the Ottoman Army. After France institute ...

in August 1949 and allied himself with Syria's new leader, President Hashim al-Atasi. Khikhya became minister of interior in a cabinet headed by Atasi himself that lasted from August to December 1949. Khikhya then became chairman of the Constitutional Assembly that drafted a new constitution for Syria. In September, he became a deputy for Aleppo and was elected speaker of the parliament. The leadership of the People's Party including Khikhya pushed to form a union with

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

, to curb any future Israeli eastward expansion. However, Khikhya withdrew from the political life upon the formation of the

United Arab Republic The United Arab Republic (UAR; ar, الجمهورية العربية المتحدة, al-Jumhūrīyah al-'Arabīyah al-Muttaḥidah) was a sovereign state in the Middle East from 1958 until 1971. It was initially a political union between Eg ...

in 1958. He died in 1987 in

Nicosia Nicosia ( ; el, Λευκωσία, Lefkosía ; tr, Lefkoşa ; hy, Նիկոսիա, romanized: ''Nikosia''; Cypriot Arabic: Nikusiya) is the largest city, capital, and seat of government of Cyprus. It is located near the centre of the Mesaor ...

, Cyprus, and was buried there.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kikhya, Rushdi 1899 births 1987 deaths Syrian Sunni Muslims People's Party (Syria) politicians National Bloc (Syria) politicians People from Aleppo 20th-century Syrian politicians Sorbonne University Speakers of the People's Assembly of Syria University of Paris alumni al-Kihkiha family