President of Syria

Last updated
President of Syria
رئيس سوريا
Coat of arms of Syria (2024-present).svg
State Seal of Syria
Ahmed al-Sharaa 2.jpg
Incumbent
Ahmed al-Sharaa
since 29 January 2025 (transitional)
Executive branch of the Syrian Government
Style Mr. President
(informal)
His Excellency
(diplomatic)
Status
Member of
Residence Presidential Palace
Seat Damascus, Syria
Appointer Popular vote
Inaugural holder Subhi Barakat (French Mandate)
Shukri al-Quwatli (current constitution)
Formation17 April 1946;78 years ago (1946-04-17)
Deputy Vice President

The president of Syria (Arabic : رئيس سوريا, romanized: Raʾīs Sūriyā) is the head of state of Syria. The president is vested with sweeping powers that may be delegated, at his sole discretion, to his vice presidents. The president appoints and dismisses the prime minister and other members of the Council of Ministers (the cabinet) and military officers. [1]

Contents

The position became vacant on 8 December 2024, when Bashar al-Assad was overthrown following the success of the 2024 Syrian opposition offensives. [2] The duties of the head of state were conducted by a transitional government led by Mohammed al-Bashir in the role of prime minister. Ahmed al-Sharaa was named transitional president on 29 January 2025, after having acted as the de facto leader following the fall of the Assad regime. [3] [4]

Term of office

Article 88 of the 2012 constitution states that the president serves a seven-year term and "can be elected for only one more successive term." [5] [6] Article 155 states that Article 88 applies to the president "as of the next presidential elections." [5]

Eligibility criteria

Article 84 of Syria's 2012 constitution requires that candidates for the presidency must: [5]

  1. Be at least 40 years old
  2. Be Syrian by birth, of parents who are Syrians by birth
  3. Enjoy civil and political rights and not convicted of a dishonorable felony, even if reinstated
  4. Not be married to a non-Syrian wife
  5. Have lived in Syria for 10 years continuously upon nomination

Further eligibility requirements in the 2012 constitution include: [5]

Powers and removal

Powers

The President of Syria is constitutionally responsible for the following: [7]

Removal

The president of Syria can be removed from the position under the following circumstances: [7]

Constitutional Changes

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. [8] The main objection to the constitution from demonstrators was that Islam was not specified as the state religion. [9] In response to riots, the Syrian Constitution of 1973 was amended to stipulate that Islam was the religion of the president. [9]

A new constitution was approved in February 2012 after the start of the Syrian revolution. [10]

After the fall of the Assad regime, The 2012 constitution was formally abolished by the interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa on 29 January 2025, adding that he would issue a "constitutional declaration" to serve as a "legal reference" pending the promulgation of a new constitution. [11]

Latest election

CandidatePartyVotes%
Bashar al-Assad Ba'ath Party 13,540,86095.19
Mahmoud Ahmad Marei Democratic Arab Socialist Union 470,2763.31
Abdullah Sallum Abdullah Socialist Unionist Party 213,9681.50
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 [12]

See also

References

  1. "Syria - The President and the Cabinet". countrystudies.us.
  2. "Syrian rebels say Syria is free of Assad". The Guardian. 8 December 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  3. "الشرع رئيسا لسوريا وحل الفصائل وحزب البعث وتعطيل الدستور" [Sharaa as President of Syria, dissolving factions and the Baath Party, and suspending the constitution]. Al Jazeera Arabic (in Arabic). 29 January 2025. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  4. "Syria's Sharaa declared president for transitional period, state news agency says". Reuters . 29 January 2025. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Syrian Arab Republic's Constitution of 2012" (PDF). ConstituteProject.org. February 26, 2012. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  6. "Qordoba - Translation of the Syrian Constitution Modifications 15-2-2012 | Citizenship | Presidents Of The United States". Scribd. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  7. 1 2 "Constitutional history of Syria". constitutionniet.org. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  8. Alianak, Sonia (2007). Middle Eastern Leaders and Islam: A Precarious Equilibrium. Peter Lang. p. 55. ISBN   978-0-8204-6924-9.
  9. 1 2 "FURTHER RIOTING IN SYRIA REPORTED". The New York Times. 1973-02-28. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2025-02-07.
  10. MacFarquhar, Neil; Cowell, Alan (2012-02-27). "Syrians Said to Approve Charter as Battles Go On". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2025-02-07.
  11. "Syria's interim president vows to preserve 'civil peace' in first address". France 24. 2025-01-30. Retrieved 2025-02-08.
  12. "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.