Administrative divisions:
14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al
Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az
Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus
Independence:
17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French
administration)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 17 April (1946)
Constitution:
13 March 1973
Legal system:
based on a combination of French and Ottoman civil law; religious
law is used in the family court system; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice
President Farouk al-SHARA (since 11 February 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10
September 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah al-DARDARI (since 14
June 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president approved by popular referendum for a seven-year
term (no term limits); referendum last held 10 July 2000 - after the
death of President Hafiz al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next
to be held 2007); vice president appointed by the president; prime
minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
election results: Bashar al-ASAD approved as president; percent of
vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%
note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June, the Ba'th
Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name
to the People's Council on 25 June; he was approved by a popular
referendum on 10 July
Legislative branch:
unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 2-3 March 2003 (next to be held in 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, independents
33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the
constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF
alliance) receives one-half of the seats
Judicial branch:
Supreme Constitutional Court (adjudicates electoral disputes and
rules on constitutionality of laws and decrees; justices appointed
for four-year terms by the President); High Judicial Council
(appoints and dismisses judges; headed by the President); Court of
Cassation (national level); State Security Courts (hear cases
related to national security); Personal Status Courts (religious;
hear cases related to marriage and divorce); Courts of First
Instance (local level; include magistrate, summary, and peace courts)
Political parties and leaders:
Arab Socialist Unionist Movement [Ahmed al-AHMED]; National
Progressive Front or NPF (includes Arab Socialist Renaissance
(Ba'th) Party; the governing party) [President Bashar al-ASAD,
secretary general]; Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Fadlallal
Nasr Al-DIN]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan QUDSI];
Syrian Communist Party (two branches) [Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yuusuf
Rashid FAYSAL]; Syrian Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI];
Unionist Socialist Party [Fayez ISMAIL]