🇸🇾 Syria
Provisional governmentClosed autocracy
Ahmed al-Sharaa
President · 626 days in office
How the political system works in Syria
Syria is governed as a provisional government. Its president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has led the country since Jan 29, 2025. Syria has had 18 presidents since 1939. Under the Regimes of the World classification, it counts as a closed autocracy.
Tenure records
Longest-serving
Hafez al-Assad
10,700 days · 2 terms
Shortest-serving
Luai al-Atassi
0 days
Average tenure
1,321 days
Ahmed al-Sharaa: 53% below average
Female leaders
0 of 18
All male to date
Recent presidents by days in office
Is a leader's tenure getting longer or shorter in Syria?
Across 21 completed terms, the average president of Syria has served 1,321 days (about 3.6 years). Terms are getting longer: the last five completed terms averaged 3,949 days.
One completed term Average tenure per decade
All presidents of Syria
| # | Name | Took office | Left office | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 |  Ahmed al-Sharaa | Jan 29, 2025 | Incumbent | 626 |
| 21 |  Bashar al-Assad | Jul 17, 2000 | Dec 8, 2024 | 8,910 |
| 20 |  Abdul Halim Khaddam | Jun 10, 2000 | Jul 17, 2000 | 37 |
| 19 |  Hafez al-Assad | Mar 12, 1971 | Jun 10, 2000 | 10,683 |
| 18 | Hafez al-Assad | Feb 22, 1971 | Mar 11, 1971 | 17 |
| 17 |  Ahmad al-Khatib | Nov 18, 1970 | Feb 22, 1971 | 96 |
| 16 |  Nureddin al-Atassi | Jan 1, 1966 | Jan 1, 1970 | 1,461 |
| 15 |  Luai al-Atassi | Jan 1, 1963 | Jan 1, 1963 | 0 |
| 14 |  Amin al-Hafez | Jan 1, 1963 | Jan 1, 1966 | 1,096 |
| 13 |  Nazim al-Kudsi | Dec 14, 1961 | Mar 8, 1963 | 449 |
| 12 |  Maamun al-Kuzbari | Jan 1, 1961 | Jan 1, 1961 | 0 |
| 11 |  Izzat al-Nuss | Jan 1, 1961 | Jan 1, 1961 | 0 |
| 10 |  Shukri al-Quwatli | Sep 5, 1955 | Feb 22, 1958 | 901 |
| 9 |  Hashim al-Atassi | Mar 1, 1954 | Sep 6, 1955 | 554 |
| 8 | Maamun al-Kuzbari | Jan 1, 1954 | Jan 1, 1954 | 0 |
| 7 |  Adib Shishakli | Jul 1, 1953 | Feb 1, 1954 | 215 |
| 6 |  Fawzi Selu | Dec 3, 1951 | Jul 11, 1953 | 586 |
| 5 | Hashim al-Atassi | Dec 1, 1949 | Dec 24, 1951 | 753 |
| 4 |  Sami al-Henaaui | Aug 14, 1949 | Dec 19, 1949 | 127 |
| 3 |  Husni al-Za'im | Mar 30, 1949 | Aug 14, 1949 | 137 |
| 2 | Shukri al-Quwatli | Apr 17, 1946 | Mar 29, 1949 | 1,077 |
| 1 |  Bahij al-Khatib | Jul 8, 1939 | Apr 5, 1941 | 637 |
Officeholder history via Wikidata. Multiple rows for one person indicate separate terms.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is the President of Syria?
- Ahmed al-Sharaa has been President of Syria since Jan 29, 2025.
- How is the leader of Syria chosen?
- Syria is governed as a provisional government. Its president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has led the country since Jan 29, 2025. Syria has had 18 presidents since 1939. Under the Regimes of the World classification, it counts as a closed autocracy.
- Who is the longest-serving President of Syria?
- Hafez al-Assad, with 10,700 days in office across 2 terms.
- Are leaders serving longer or shorter terms in Syria?
- Across 21 completed terms, the average president of Syria has served 1,321 days (about 3.6 years). Terms are getting longer: the last five completed terms averaged 3,949 days.
- Has Syria ever had a female president?
- No. All 18 presidents of Syria to date have been men.