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Syria: Political situation
INTRODUCTION
1. Political situation
2. Economy
3. Health. Education
4. Peoples. Languages. Religions
5. History
PRESIDENTS
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| Tadsch ad-Din al-Hasani |
1941-1943 |
| Djamil al-Ulci |
1943 |
| Shukri al-Quwatli |
1943-1949 |
| Husni az-Zaim |
1949 |
| Haschim Bey al-Atasi |
1949-1951 |
| Adib Shishaqli |
1951-1954 |
| Haschim Bey al-Atasi |
1954-1955 |
| Shukri al-Quwatli |
1955-1958 |
| Nazim al-Kudsi |
1961-1963 |
| Luai al-Atasi |
1963 |
| Amin al-Hafiz |
1963-1966 |
| Nureddin al-Atasi |
1966-1970 |
| Ahmet Chatib |
1970-1971 |
| Hafez al-Assad |
1971-2000 |
| Bashar al-Assad |
2000- |
PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY
Seats. General election March 2 and 3, 2003.
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| National Progressive Front 1) |
167 |
| Independent candidates |
83 |
| Total |
250 |
| 1) Consists of 7 political parties: Baath Party; Communist Party; Arab Socialist Unionist Party; Syrian Arab Socialist Union Party; Arab Socialist Party; and Socialist Unionist Democratic Party. |
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Syria has a political system that is not democratic, and all power lies in the hands of the president, Bashar al-Assad.
There are popular elections to the People's Assembly every 4 years. The by far largest group in this assembly is the National Progressive Front, which is lead by the Ba'th Party.
Assad holds total control over Syria through being in command of the Ba'th Party.
Syria's constitution was introduced in 1973, and describes the country as democratic, popular and socialist. According to the constitution, only a Muslim can be president.
The only groups allowed into Syrian politics are the socialists, the communists and the pan-arabists. Islamists have been strongly suppressed in the past, and remain outlawed.
Following the death of long-time president Hafez al-Assad, and the takeover of his son, there have been some lifting on restrictions in Syria. Some political prisoners have been released from jail, and Assad has taken initiatives to ease control over both economy and information technology.
Following the elections of November 30 and December 1 1998 the Ba'ath Party got 135 out of 250 seats in the People's Assembly. The other seats were divided between independent candidates (83), the Communist Party (8), Arab Socialist Unionist Party (7), Syrian Arab Socialist Union Party (7), Arab Socialist Party (6) and Socialist Unionist Democratic Party (4).
© Copyright 1996-2008 LookLex Ltd. All rights reserved
By: Tore Kjeilen
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