Ismaïl Couzmi

**Ismaïl Aboud Couzmi** (born 17 April 1972) is a Maronan politician from Jalotte who has served as president of Jalotte since 2022. He is a member of the Nationalist Movement, and has lead the party in Jalotte since 2019.

Couzmi was born and raised in Mtsapate. After completing his secondary education in 1990, Couzmi enrolled in the University of Jalotte, and graduated with a degree in urbanology and city planning in 1993, followed by a master's degree from Uzay Fares University in Uzay in 1995. Following the completion of his education, Couzmi returned to Jalotte and was hired as a city planner for the municipal government of Farahanhumei, before joining the municipal government of Mtsapate in 2000.

Couzmi began his career in elected politics in 2004, after he was elected to the municipal council of Mtsapate in the 2004 municipal elections. Following his election to municipal office, Couzmi left his career in city planning citing potential conflicts of interest, and instead joined a consulting firm. Couzmi was later reelected to a second term in the 2010 municipal elections, and was also elected to the General Council of Jalotte in the 2010 regional election. Couzmi was reelected to both positions in the 2016 elections, and later was selected as the new leader of the Nationalist Movement in Jalotte, following the pending retirement of Izat Bacha in 2019. Couzmi subsequently led his party in the 2022 regional election, where the party became the largest in the General Council for the first time ever. As a result, Couzmi was elected president of Jalotte, the first person of his party to ever serve in the role. The party additionally won the 2022 municipal election in Mtsapate, with Couzmi going on to concurrently serve as mayor of Mtsapate. Following the prohibition of dual mandates in Maronan politics in 2023, Couzmi resigned his municipal offices.

## Early life and education

Couzmi was born on 17 April 1972 in Mtsapate, on the island of Jalotte, to parents Fadi (1948–2011) and Nusaïba Couzmi (née *Hamad*; 1949–2019). Couzmi was the eldest of seven children; his younger siblings included Umaïra (born 1973), Fira (born 1975), Mounsif (born 1977), Moustaba (1979–2014), Mahiba (born 1982), and Zuhaïr (born 1984). Growing up, his father worked various blue-collar odd jobs, while his mother was a homemaker. The family lived in poverty, sharing a four-bedroom home with his paternal grandparents, aunt and uncle, and six cousins.

Couzmi began his education in 1977, attending public schooling in Mtsapate. While in school, Couzmi was initially a troublesome student who received poor grades and suffered from behavioral problems. However, his academic performance later began improving at age 14, following the death of his grandfather. Couzmi graduated from primary school in 1984, and later completed *collège* in 1987. He subsequently enrolled in a local *lycée académique*, studying economics and social sciences, and graduated with his *baccalauréat* in 1990. After completing his secondary education, Couzmi moved to Farahanhumei to enroll in the University of Jalotte, receiving a bachelor's degree in urbanology and city planning in 1993. He subsequently moved to metropolitan Marone to enroll in Uzay Fares University in Uzay, and graduated with a master's degree in 1995.

## Early career

While a university student, Couzmi had completed internships working in city planning with the municipal governments of both Farahanhumei and Uzay. After completing his education in 1995, Couzmi returned to Jalotte and settled in Farahanhumei, after being hired as an entry-level city planner for the Farahanhumei municipal government. In 1997, Couzmi was promoted to city planner II, before being promoted to senior planner in 1999. As a city planner, Couzmi worked on infrastructure-related projects for the municipal government, with a specific focus on zoning and zoning-related projects.

In 2000, Couzmi left the Farahanhumei municipal government and joined the Mtsapate municipal government as a planning manager, with a focus on zoning. In the position, Couzmi led the municipal government's city planning team which focused on zoning and zoning-related projects. Couzmi remained in the position until 2004, when he departed over conflicts of interest concerns following his election the Mtsapate municipal council as an elected official. Afterwards, Couzmi joined the national consulting firm Jaugé Consulting as a city planning manager, focused on zoning projects within Jalotte and Podros. He left the position in 2010, after he was elected to the General Council of Jalotte.

## Political career

### Early politics

Couzmi first began his career in elected politics in 2000, when he was selected as a candidate for the Nationalist Movement in the 2000 municipal election in Mtsapate. The party ultimately did not win enough seats, and Couzmi was not elected. He returned as a candidate in the subsequent 2004 municipal election, and was elected to the municipal council. Couzmi first registered with the Nationalist Movement in 1997, largely due to his opposition to the illegal immigration from the Podros, which he campaigned on as lowering the quality of life for Jahores. Following his election, Couzmi took his seat in the municipal council on 21 June 2004. He was reelected in the 2010, 2016, and 2022 municipal elections, becoming the mayor of Mtsapate following the lattermost election. Following the prohibition of dual mandates in Maronan politics in 2023, Couzmi resigned his municipal offices, and was succeeded as mayor by Umaïr Hana.

Couzmi entered regional politics during the 2010 regional election, as a candidate for the Nationalist Movement. He was ultimately elected to the General Council of Jalotte, and took his seat on 21 June 2010. Couzmi was subsequently reelected in the 2016 regional election.

### President of Jalotte

In 2019, Izat Bacha, whom had led the Nationalist Movement's in Jalotte for the three prior regional elections, announced that he would be retiring from politics. Couzmi was subsequently selected by the party to serve as his successor. Couzmi led his party into the 2022 regional election, where he focused his party's campaigning on promoting infrastructure development, closer ties to the Maronan national government, and the elimination of illegal immigration from the Podros. Political pundits observed that Couzmi's popularity in Jalotte had been on the rise, largely due to the growing unpopularity for Imad Sesay.

Following the conclusion of the election, the Nationalist Movement was determined to have narrowly won the election, becoming the first time that the party had won a regional election in Jalotte. In the aftermath of his party's victory, Couzmi negotiated a coalition government between the Nationalist Movement, the Jalotte Development Movement, and independent politician Hatim Farha, and took office as president of Jalotte on 20 June 2022. During his tenure as president, Couzmi's government has focused heavily on infrastructure repair, and has developed an economic agenda of promoting Jalotte as a destination for beach tourism.

## Personal life

Couzmi married Isra Rade in 1998, following a two-year relationship. Couzmi and Rade have four children together: Amal (born 2000), Aboud (born 2002), Fadi (born 2004), and Asad (born 2008). Raad is a homemaker, and the family resides in Mtsapate. Until her death in 2019, Couzmi's mother began residing with the family following the death of his father in 2011.

Couzmi identifies as a Eurean Muslim, while he is fluent in Maronan, Jahorian, Barbic, and Ditrovian. Jahorian is his native language, while he did not become fluent in Ditrovian until adulthood.