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President of Syria

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For a list of officeholders, see List of presidents of Syria.

President of the Syrian Arab Republic
رئيس الجمهورية العربية السورية
Coat of arms of Syria
Presidential standard
since 29 January 2025
Executive branch of the Syrian Government
StyleMr. President
(informal)
His Excellency
(diplomatic)
StatusHead of state
Head of government
Commander-in-chief
Member of
ResidencePresidential Palace
SeatDamascus, Syria
Inaugural holderSubhi Barakat (French Mandate)
Shukri al-Quwatli (first president of post-independence Syria)
Formation17 April 1946; 78 years ago (1946-04-17)
DeputyVice President
Politics of Syria

Arab League Member State of the Arab League

Constitution
Executive
Legislature
Judiciary
Subdivisions
Elections
Foreign relations

The president of Syria (Arabic: رئيس سوريا, romanized: Raʾīs Sūriyā), officially the president of the Syrian Arab Republic, is the head of state and government of Syria. The president directs the executive branch and serves as the commander-in-chief of the Syrian Army and Armed Forces. The position is currently held by Ahmed al-Sharaa in a transitional capacity since 29 January 2025.

History

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Mandatory Syria

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In 1922, French authorities created the Syrian Federation under the Mandate for Syria and Lebanon, and Subhi Barakat was its president.[1][2] The federation system did not last, and was replaced as the State of Syria by 1925. Barakat briefly retained the role of president, until the beginning of the Great Syrian Revolt that year caused him to resign.[2] Ahmad Nami replaced Barakat as president, until he was removed in 1928.[3]

By 1930, Syrian pressure led the French authorities to promulgate the Syrian Constitution of 1930, establishing the First Syrian Republic. Under the constitution, the presidency must be a Muslim, and would be elected by a majority of the Syrian parliament.[4]

Post-independence

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Following the withdrawal of French troops from Syria in 1946, Syrian officials approved the Syrian Constitution of 1950, which maintained a parliamentary system. As such, the president would be elected by a majority of parliament.[5] In the following years, Syria's presidency experienced several upheavals, including by Husni al-Za'im following his March 1949 coup and later by Adib Shishakli in through the 1951 coup.[2] During Shishakli's rule, he published the Syrian Constitution of 1953, which established a presidential system with direct elections to the presidency. However, this constitution lasted less than a year, as reinstated-president Hashim al-Atassi returned the country to the 1950 constitution following the 1954 coup only a year later.[6][7]

Following the 1958 referendum, Syria joined the United Arab Republic, and its president Gamal Nasser also became the Syrian president in the same referendum.[8] This lasted for three years until the 1961 coup, when Syria restored its independence and the 1950 constitution.[9]

Ba'athist Syria

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On March 8, 1963, the Syrian Ba'ath Party organized a Ba'athist coup, once again usurping the Syrian presidency.

On 31 January 1973, Hafez al-Assad implemented a new constitution, which led to a national crisis. Unlike previous constitutions, this one did not require that the president of Syria must be a Muslim, leading to fierce demonstrations in Hama, Homs and Aleppo.[10] The main objection to the constitution from demonstrators was that Islam was not specified as the state religion.[11] In response to riots, the Syrian Constitution of 1973 was amended to stipulate that Islam was the religion of the president.[11]

A new constitution was approved in February 2012 after the start of the Syrian revolution.[12]

Post-Assad Syria

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After the fall of the Assad regime, the position became vacant on 8 December 2024.[13] The duties of the head of state were carried out by a transitional government, with Ahmed al-Sharaa serving as the de facto leader.[14] On 29 January 2025, during the Syrian Revolution Victory Conference in Damascus, the Syrian General Command officially appointed al-Sharaa as the president for the transitional period.[15] As president, al-Sharaa announced plans to issue a "constitutional declaration" as a legal reference following the repeal of the 2012 constitution of Ba'athist Syria.[16]

On 2 March, al-Sharaa declared the establishment of a committee tasked with drafting a constitutional declaration to guide the country's transition following the ousting of the Assad regime.[17] On 13 March, al-Sharaa signed an interim constitution, placing Syria under Islamist rule for five years while committing to protecting the rights of all Syrians during the transitional phase.[18] The Interim Constitution sets a presidential system with the executive power at the hands of the president who appoints the ministers,[19] without the position of prime minister.[20]

Powers and roles

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Executive power

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Under the 2025 Interim Constitution of Syria, the president of the Syrian Arab Republic serves as the commander-in-chief of the Syrian Army and Armed Forces and is responsible for:[21]

  • Managing national governance
  • Preserving territorial integrity and security
  • Protecting the interests of the people

The president has the authority to:[21]

  • Appoint, remove, and accept the resignations of ministers
  • Establish executive, regulatory, and control measures, as well as issue presidential orders and decisions following the law
  • Act as the state’s representative in international relations and formalize treaties with foreign nations and international organizations
  • Declare general mobilization and war with the approval of the National Security Council
  • Grant special pardons and restore honor
  • Appoint and dismiss heads of diplomatic missions abroad and receive the credentials of foreign diplomatic representatives in Syria
  • Propose laws, issue laws approved by the People's Assembly, and veto laws within one month of receipt. If the People's Assembly passes a veto law with a two-thirds majority, the president is required to enact it by decree.

In the event of a severe threat to national unity, sovereignty, or the proper functioning of state institutions, the president may:[21]

  • Impose a state of emergency, either fully or partially, for up to three months, after:
    • Securing approval from the National Security Council
    • Consulting with the speaker of the People's Assembly and the president of the Constitutional Court
  • Extend the state of emergency only with the approval of the People’s Assembly

Religion

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Article 3 states "The religion of the President of the Republic is Islam; Islamic jurisprudence is the principal source of legislation.[21]

Inauguration

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The Interim Constitution provides the following oath or affirmation for the president, which must be taken before the People's Assembly.[21]

I swear by Almighty God to faithfully preserve the sovereignty of the State, the unity of the country, the integrity of its territories, and the independence of its decision, and to defend them, and to respect the law, protect the interests of the people, and strive with all sincerity and honesty to secure a decent life for them, achieve justice among them, and consolidate noble values ​​and virtuous morals.

— Interim Constitution, Article 33, Sec. 2

Latest election

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Main article: 2021 Syrian presidential election
CandidatePartyVotes%
Bashar al-AssadBa'ath Party13,540,86095.19
Mahmoud Ahmad MareiDemocratic Arab Socialist Union470,2763.31
Abdullah Sallum AbdullahSocialist Unionist Party213,9681.50
Total14,225,104100.00
Valid votes14,225,10499.90
Invalid/blank votes14,0360.10
Total votes14,239,140100.00
Registered voters/turnout18,107,10978.64
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency[22]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Arrêtés Nos. 1, 2 & 3 - Bulletin hebdomadaire des actes administratifs du Haut-Commissariat" (in French). BnF Gallica. 8 October 1922. p. 268.
  2. ^ a b c Moubayed, Sami (16 December 2024). "From Barakat to Assad: The Syrian presidency in 100 years". Al Majalla.
  3. ^ Moubayed, Sami M. (2006). "Nami, Ahmad (1879-1960)". Steel & Silk: Men and Women Who Shaped Syria 1900-2000. Cune Press. p. 299. ISBN 978-1-885942-40-1.
  4. ^ Constitution of Syria (1930) Part I, Ch. 1, Art. 3; Part II, Ch. 3
  5. ^ "Syria Constitution (1950) - Article 53". World Statesmen. {{cite web}}: |archive-url= requires |url= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
  6. ^ Haddad, Ghassan Mohammed Rashad (2007). The Political History of Syria: The Making of the Syrian Constitution (in Arabic). Beirut: Dar Al-Nahar. p. 78.
  7. ^ Torrey, Gordon (1964). The Syrian Constitution of 1950: A Study in Constitutional Development. Oxford University Press. p. 223.
  8. ^ "Syrien, 21. Februar 1958 : Gamad Abd al-Nasser als Präsident der Vereinigten Arabischen Republik". Direct Democracy. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020.
  9. ^ "Constitutional history of Syria". ConstitutionNet. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  10. ^ Alianak, Sonia (2007). Middle Eastern Leaders and Islam: A Precarious Equilibrium. Peter Lang. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-8204-6924-9.
  11. ^ a b "FURTHER RIOTING IN SYRIA REPORTED". The New York Times. 28 February 1973. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 7 February 2025.
  12. ^ MacFarquhar, Neil; Cowell, Alan (27 February 2012). "Syrians Said to Approve Charter as Battles Go On". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 7 February 2025.
  13. ^ "Syrian rebels say Syria is free of Assad". The Guardian. 8 December 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  14. ^ "Ahmed al-Sharaa named Syria's transitional president". www.bbc.com. 31 January 2025. Retrieved 22 March 2025. Ahmed al-Sharaa has been Syria's de facto leader since leading the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad
  15. ^ "General Command appoints Ahmed al-Sharaa as President of Syria". Enab Baladi. 29 January 2025. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  16. ^ "Syria's interim president vows to preserve 'civil peace' in first address". France 24. 31 January 2025. Retrieved 31 January 2025.
  17. ^ "Syria forms committee to draft constitutional declaration for country's transition". Anadolu Agency. 3 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ^ "Syrian leader signs constitution that puts the country under an Islamist group's rule for 5 years". Associated Press News. 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ^ "Syria's new constitution gives sweeping powers, ignores minority rights". rfi. 14 March 2025. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
  20. ^ "Syria's Constitutional Draft Set for Release as Fact-Finding Committee Begins Investigations". Watan News. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  21. ^ a b c d e "Constitutional Declaration of the Syrian Arab Republic" (PDF). 13 March 2025. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 March 2025. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  22. ^ "Dr. Bashar al-Assad elected President of the Syrian Arab Republic with the majority of votes". Syrian Arab News Agency. 28 May 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
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