Ali Haidar (politician)

Ali Haidar was born in Hama-masyaf in 1962. He studied ophthalmology at the Damascus University, and specialized in surgery and eye diseases.[2] Whilst studying ophthalmology he was classmates with Bashar al-Assad.[3] He graduated from Damascus University in 1994.[2]

In 2012, Haidar led his party into the Popular Front for Change and Liberation coalition of non-Ba'athist parties in the Syrian parliament. Haidar is one of two non-Ba'athist candidates elected to Parliament in May 2012 who were given ministerial posts, the other being Jamil Qadri. Ali Haidar's claims his goal is to search for a pluralistic political solution through reconciliation, involving all "moderate" parties mutually recognizing each other's right to participate in society and government, while excluding "extremists". On 12 February 2013, Haidar stated in a press briefing that the Syrian government can hold talks with head of Syrian opposition, Moaz al Khatib.[4] These talks did not transpire. Haidar announced in May 2014 that his party was withdrawing from the Popular Front for Change and Liberation over discrepancy in positions towards the presidential election; his SSNP supported the re-election of Bashar al-Assad.[5]

Haidar is married and has two children.[2] His son Ismail was murdered on 2 May 2012 alongside SSNP member Fadi Atawneh on the al-Mahnaya junction on the road between Homs and Masyaf when their car was ambushed by members of the Syrian armed opposition.[3][6][7]