Bashar Hafez al-Assad (born September 11, 1965) is the President Elect of Syria (Elected into Office in July 17, 2000, Re-elected in 2007, and again 2014 thus serving three terms running).
Biography[]
Bashar Hefez Al-Assad is the son of Hafez al-Assad, Syria's former dictator. Bashar studied medicine at the University of Damascus in 1988, and graduated. He became a medic in Syria's armed forces. Latter he furthered his studies in the UK, where he became a practicing physician who specialized in Ophthalmology (he was an eye doctor). In 1994 his elder brother died in a car crash, and Bashar was summoned back to his homeland to take on his brother's role as heir apparent. When he returned it was insisted he study at the military academy to further his future role as Command in Chief of Syria's Armed forces (a role he does not hold as he is merely the President, under Syria's current constitution the military is commanded separately). When his father died, Bashar was appointed head of state, still uncertain if he really wanted to rule, Bashar became a reformer turning Syria into a democratic state. In 2000 he organized a free election in which he won by 97% of the popular vote. Bashar himself is Muslim, yet runs a secular government. He helped to draft a new constitution in 2012, which limited the power of the Ba'ath Party, and limited the presidents term to seven years, with one re-election. The constitution came into effect on Febuary 27, 2012. Some issues concerning his governance have arose in recent times, with foriegn forces from Afganistan attempting to end his presidency though force.
The first election under the state's 2012 constitution took place on June 3, 2014. Bashar competed against Hassan al-Nouri of the NIACS, and independent Maher Hajjar. The incumbent president Assad won the election with 88.7 % of the popular vote.