Bashar al-Assad
President of Syria from 2000 until the fall of his government on 8 December 2024. Assad inherited power from his father Hafez al-Assad and ruled for 24 years through a combination of Ba'athist party control, military force, sectarian networks, and Russian and Iranian backing. The civil war that began in 2011 cost over 500,000 lives and displaced more than half the Syrian population before the rapid HTS-led offensive ended his rule.
As President of Syria (2000–2024), Bashar al-Assad occupied one of the most consequential executive roles in the state. The historical question is how that authority was used, what institutions it reshaped, and what long-term effects it left on the country and wider world.
At a Glance
Bashar al-Assad was a politician from Syria who served as President of Syria (2000–2024). Bashar al-Assad was affiliated with Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region.
During Bashar al-Assad's time in public life, the office of President of Syria (2000–2024) was one of the main sites where state power was exercised in Syria. The historical importance of that role lies in the decisions, coalitions, crises, and institutional outcomes tied to it rather than in prestige alone.
