President of Syria

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
Incumbent Ahmed al-Sharaa Transitional since 29 January 2025
Executive branch of the Syrian Government
Style	Mr. President (informal) His Excellency (diplomatic)
Status	Head of state Commander-in-chief
Member of	Council of Ministers
Residence	Presidential Palace
Seat	Damascus, Syria
Inaugural holder	Subhi Barakat (French Mandate) Shukri al-Quwatli (first president of post-independence Syria)
Formation	17 April 1946 (1946-04-17)
Deputy	Vice President

The president of Syria (Arabic: رئيس سوريا, romanized: Raʾīs Sūriyā), officially the president of the Syrian Arab Republic, 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 position is currently held by Ahmed al-Sharaa in a transitional capacity since 29 January 2025.

Powers and roles

Executive power

Under the 2025 Interim Constitution of Syria, the president of the Syrian Arab Republic serves as the supreme commander of the Syrian Army and Armed Forces and is responsible for:

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

The president has the authority to:

• Appoint, remove, and accept the resignations of ministers
• Establish executive, regulatory, and control measures, as well as issue presidential orders and decisions in accordance with 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:

• 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

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

Inauguration

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

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

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

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

After the fall of the Assad regime, the position became vacant on 8 December 2024. The duties of the head of state were conducted by a transitional government led by Mohammed al-Bashir in the role of prime minister. On 29 January 2025, during the Syrian Revolution Victory Conference in Damascus, the Syrian General Command appointed Ahmed al-Sharaa as president for the transitional period after he had served as the de facto leader following the fall of the Assad regime.

Al-Sharaa announced plans to issue a "constitutional declaration" as a legal reference following the dissolution of the 2012 Constitution of Ba'athist Syria. 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. 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.

Latest election

Main article: 2021 Syrian presidential election

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Bashar al-Assad	Ba'ath Party	13,540,860	95.19
	Mahmoud Ahmad Marei	Democratic Arab Socialist Union	470,276	3.31
	Abdullah Sallum Abdullah	Socialist Unionist Party	213,968	1.50
Total			14,225,104	100.00
Valid votes			14,225,104	99.90
Invalid/blank votes			14,036	0.10
Total votes			14,239,140	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			18,107,109	78.64
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

See also

• List of presidents of Syria
• List of heads of state of Syria

External links

• President of Syria on Twitter