Head of Government—Prime Minister Mahmud ZUBI (since 1 November
1987);
Deputy Prime Minister Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March 1984);
Deputy Prime Minister Salim YASIN (since NA December 1981);
Deputy Prime Minister Mahmud QADDUR (since NA May 1985)
_#_Political parties and leaders: ruling party is the Arab Socialist Resurrectionist (Bath) Party; the Progressive National Front is dominated by Bathists but includes independents and members of the Syrian Arab Socialist Party (ASP), Arab Socialist Union (ASU), Syrian Communist Party (SCP), Arab Socialist Unionist Movement, and Democratic Socialist Union Party
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18
_#_Elections:
President—last held 10-11 February 1985 (next to be held February 1992); results—President Hafiz al-ASAD was reelected without opposition;
People's Council—last held 22-23 May 1990 (next to be held May 1994); results—Bath 53.6%, ASU 3.2%, SCP 3.2%, Arab Socialist Unionist Movement 2.8%, ASP 2%, Democratic Socialist Union Party 1.6%, independents 33.6%; seats—(250 total) Bath 134, ASU 8, SCP 8, Arab Socialist Unionist Movement 7, ASP 5, Democratic Socialist Union Party 4, independents 84; the People's Council was expanded to 250 seats total prior to the May 1990 election
_#_Communists: mostly sympathizers, numbering about 5,000
_#_Other political or pressure groups: non-Bath parties have little effective political influence; Communist party ineffective; greatest threat to Asad regime lies in factionalism in the military; conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood
_#_Member of: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24,
G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Walid MOUALEM; Chancery at 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 232-6313;