Syria - Rise to power



For many years it was assumed that when the elder Assad stepped down from the presidency, or died, his oldest son Basil would take over. Basil was a well-known figure in the country and was well-respected in the powerful military for his years of service. In 1994, however, Basil was killed in a car accident and the political line of succession grew murky. Having always planned a life outside of politics, it was only under duress that Bashar returned to Syria following his brother's death. He was quickly given a military post and began surrounding himself with trustworthy men nearer to his own age, pushing aside some of his father's allies, including his chief of staff and the head of military intelligence. As he rose through military ranks he was given increasing power.

When the elder Assad died in June 2000, the Syrian political elite quickly went about elevating Bashar to the presidency. The Constitution was amended to change the minimum age for the president from 40 to 34, Bashar's age at the time. He was appointed commander in chief of the military and promoted to head of the Baath Party. The Assembly nominated him for the presidency within days of his father's death, and in the constitutionally mandated referendum following the nomination, Bashar Assad received, according to Syrian press reports, 97% of the vote.

User Contributions:

Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: