Ken Herron

Republic. In 1961, another coup overthrew President Nasser and the present name of Syrian Arab Republican became the name of the nation. A new president came into office by coup every one to four years until Hafez al- Assad, the minister of defense, conducted a coup and came into the office of President in 1971. Anyone who tried to displace him was executed. He died in office in 2000. The vice president assumed the office until an election could be held, and Hafez al-Assad’s son Bashar al-Assad was elected president.

Today, Bashar al-Assad is 52 years old. He graduated from the University of Damascus with a medical degree in 1988. He moved to London and went to work in an eye hospital. His brother, Basil was being groomed to succeed their father as president but he was killed in a car crash in 1994. Basher, immediately left London and returned to Syria. He entered the military academy at Homs and in five years he was a colonel in the military and began to assist his father with special duties. Bashar was 34 years old when his father died and the minimum age that a president could serve in Syria was 40 years old. The parliament quickly changed the minimum age to 34 and an election was held. Bashar al-Assad was the only candidate and he received 97 percent of the vote. The president’s term in office is seven years and in each election since that time no opposing candidate has offered for the office and Bashar has received 97 percent of the vote. President Assad does not favor capitalism and the economy has not done well.