List of heads of state of Syria

This is a list of Heads of state of Syria since 1920.

Mamluk Sultanate

Ottoman Syria

Military administrators
OETA South chief administrators
The area was divided into four districts: Jerusalem, Jaffa, Majdal and Beersheba, each under a military governor. Both of the first two British administrators, Generals Money and Watson, were removed by London for not favouring the Zionists over the Arabs; when the OETA administration ended, Liberal party politician (and former British Home Secretary) Herbert Samuel was installed as the first civilian administrator. Samuel recorded his acceptance of the role, and the end of military administration, in an often-quoted document: "Received from Major-General Sir Louis J. Bols K.C.B.—One Palestine, complete."

OETA East administrators
OETA East was a joint Arab-British military administration. The Arab and British armies entered Damascus on 1 October 1918, and on 3 October 1918 Ali Rida al-Rikabi was appointed Military Governor of OETA East. Prince Faisal son of King Hussain of Mecca entered Damascus as on 4 October and appointed Rikabi Chief of the Council of Directors (i.e. prime minister) of Syria.

The boundary definition of OETA East left uncertainties to the south and east, leading to competing claims from the Kingdom of Hejaz and Occupied Iraq respectively – see Occupation of Ma'an and Occupation of Zor for further details.
 Rida al-Rikabi (3 October 1918 – 26 November 1919)

OETA North (West) administrators
 Marie Antoine Philpin de Piépape (7 Oct 1918 - 19 Nov 1918)
 Jules Camille Hamelin (19 Nov 1918 - 21 Nov 1919)
 François Georges Barb (21 Nov 1919 -  1 Sep 1920)

OETA North (Cilicia) administrators
 Édouard Brémond

  Portrait Name Term of office  Took office Left office Time in office 1 Major generalArthur Wigram Money June 1918 June 1919  2 Major generalHarry Davis Watson June 1919 December 1919  3 70px Lieutenant generalLouis Bols January 1920 July 1920 

List of high commissioners of France in the Levant
 Syria or French Syria (1920–1946) (French Mandate of Syria)
 Portrait Name Term of office Notes Took office Left office Time in office 70px Henri Gouraud 9 October 1919 23 November 1922  Robert de Caix 23 November 1922 19 April 1923  Acting 70px Maxime Weygand 19 April 1923 29 November 1924  70px Maurice Sarrail 29 November 1924 23 December 1925  70px Henry de Jouvenel 23 December 1925 23 June 1926  70px Henri Ponsot August 1926 13 July 1933  70px Damien de Martel 16 July 1933 January 1939  70px Gabriel Puaux January 1939 November 1940  70px Jean Chiappe 24 November 1940 27 November 1940  Died on flight to take office. 70px Henri Dentz 6 December 1940 14 July 1941  Dentz was repatriated to Metropolitan France following the Armistice of Saint Jean d'Acre.

List of general delegates of Free France in the Levant
 Portrait Name Term of office Notes Took office Left office Time in office 70px Georges Catroux 24 June 1941 7 June 1943  Catroux was also Chief of Free French Forces in Levant states. Jean Helleu 7 June 1943 23 November 1943  70px Yves Chataigneau 23 November 1943 23 January 1944  Paul Beynet 23 January 1944 1 September 1946 

High Commissioners

 26 Nov 1919 – 23 Nov 1922: Henri Gouraud
 23 Nov 1922 – 17 Apr 1923:  (acting)
 19 Apr 1923 – 29 Nov 1924: Maxime Weygand
 29 Nov 1924 – 23 Dec 1925: Maurice Sarrail
 23 Dec 1925 – 23 Jun 1926: Henry de Jouvenel
 Aug 1926 – 16 Jul 1933: Auguste Henri Ponsot
 16 Jul 1933 – Jan 1939: Damien de Martel
 Jan 1939 – Nov 1940: Gabriel Puaux
 24 Nov 1940 – 27 Nov 1940: Jean Chiappe (died on flight to take office)
 6 Dec 1940 – 16 Jun 1941: Henri Dentz
 24 Jun 1941 – 7 Jun 1943: Georges Catroux
 7 Jun 1943 – 23 Nov 1943: 
 23 Nov 1943 – 23 Jan 1944: Yves Chataigneau
 23 Jan 1944 – 1 Sep 1946: Étienne Paul-Émile-Marie Beynet

 Governors Jabal Druze State 
Amir Salim Pasha al-Atrash (1 May 1921 – 15 September 1923)
Trenga (provisional) (September 1923 – 6 March 1924)
Gabriel Marie Victor Carbillet (6 March 1924 – 14 October 1925), provisional to 1 October 1924
Sultan Pasha al-Atrash (18 July 1925 – 1 June 1927), chief of state; in dissidence
Charles Andréa (15 October 1925 – 1927)
Marie Joseph Léon Augustin Henry (1927)
Abel Jean Ernest Clément-Grancourt (1927–1932)
Claude-Gabriel-Renaud Massiet (3 February 1932 – 28 January 1934)
Justin-Antoine Devicq (1934–1935)
Pierre-Joseph-François Tarrit (1935 – 2 December 1936)
Hatay State
Hatay State (; ; ), also known informally as the Republic of Hatay (), was a transitional political entity that existed from 7 September 1938 to 29 June 1939, in the territory of the Sanjak of Alexandretta of the French Mandate of Syria. The state was transformed de facto into the Hatay Province of Turkey on 7 July 1939, de jure  joining the country on 23 July 1939.

Alawite State
The Alawite State was run by a succession of French governors from 1920 to 1936:
2 September 1920 – 1921: Colonel Marie Joseph Émile Niéger (b. 1874; d. 1951)
1921–1922: Gaston Henri Gustave Billotte (b. 1875; d. 1940)
1922–1925: Léon Henri Charles Cayla (b. 1881; d. 1965)
1925 – 5 December 1936: Ernest Marie Hubert Schoeffler (b. 1877; d. 1952)

The Sunni landowners, primarily living in the province's cities, were supporters of Syrian unity; however, the French were supported by the rural Alawite communities to whom they catered.

In 1930 the Alawite State was renamed as the Government of Latakia, the only concession by the French to Arab nationalists until 1936.

List
 NamePictureTook office Left officeHeads of GovernmentMuhammad Said al-Jazairi17 September 191830 September 1918Ali Rida Pasha al-Rikabi30 September 19185 October 1918Emir Faisal5 October 19188 March 1920Kingdom of Arabic Syria (1920) King Faisal I of SyriaKing119x119px8 March 1920 24 July 1920 Name Picture Took office Left office Political PartyState of Syria (Part of the French Mandate of Syria and Lebanon) (1922–1930)Ali Rida Pasha al-Rikabi8 March 19203 May 1920Hashim al-Atassi3 May 192028 July 1920 Subhi Bay Barakat al-Khalidiصبحي بك بركات الخالدي 80px 28 June 1922  21 December 1925 Independent François Pierre-Alype (acting) 80px 9 February 1926  28 April 1926   Independent Ahmad Namiأحمد نامي 80px 28 April 1926 15 February 1928  Independent Taj al-Din al-Hasaniتاج الدين الحسني (acting) 80px 15 February 1928  14 May 1930 IndependentSyrian Republic (Part of the French Mandate of Syria and Lebanon) (1930–1936) Taj al-Din al-Hasaniتاج الدين الحسني (acting) 80px 14 May 1930 19 November 1931   Independent Léon Solomiac (acting) 80px 19 November 1931   11 June 1932 Independent Muhammad Ali al-Abidمحمد علي العابد 80px 11 June 1932 27 September 1936 IndependentSyrian Republic (Franco-Syrian Treaty of Independence signed but not ratified) (1936–1946) Muhammad Ali al-Abidمحمد علي العابد 80px 27 September 1936 21 December 1936 Independent Hashim al-Atassiهاسم الأتاسي (1st time) 80px 21 December 1936 7 July 1939 National Bloc Bahij al-Khatibبيج الخطيب 80px 10 July 1939  4 April 1941  Independent Khalid al-Azmخالد العظم (acting) 80px 4 April 1941  16 September 1941  Independent Taj al-Din al-Hasaniتاج الدين الحسني 80px 16 September 1941  17 January 1943 (died in office)  Independent Jamil al-Ulshiجميل الألشي (acting) 80px 17 January 1943  25 March 1943  Independent Ata al-Ayyubiعطا الأيوبي 80px 25 March 1943  17 August 1943  Independent Shukri al-Quwatliشكري القوتلي (1st time) 80px 17 August 1943  17 April 1946 National BlocSyrian Republic (1946–1958) Shukri al-Quwatliشكري القوتلي (1st time) 80px 17 April 1946  30 March 1949 (deposed) National Bloc / National Party Husni al-Za'imحسني الزعيم 80px 30 March 1949  14 August 1949 (deposed and executed) Military / Syrian Social Nationalist Party Sami al-Hinnawiسامي الحناوي (acting) 80px 14 August 1949  15 August 1949  Military Hashim al-Atassiهاشم الأتاسي (2nd time) 80px 15 August 1949  2 December 1951  National Party Adib Shishakliأديب الشيشكلي (acting) 80px 2 December 1951  3 December 1951  Military / Syrian Social Nationalist Party Fawzi Seluفوزي السلو 80px 3 December 1951  11 July 1953  Military Adib Shishakliأديب الشيشكلي 80px 11 July 1953  25 February 1954 (deposed) Military / Arab Liberation Movement Maamun al-Kuzbariمأمون الكزبري (acting) 80px 26 February 1954  28 February 1954  Independent Hashim al-Atassiهاشم الأتاسي (3rd time) 80px 28 February 1954  6 September 1955  National Party Shukri al-Quwatliشكري القوتلي (2nd time) 80px 6 September 1955  22 February 1958  National PartyUnited Arab Republic (1958–1961) Gamal Abdel Nasserجمال عبد الناصر 80px 22 February 1958  29 September 1961  National UnionSyrian Arab Republic (1961–Present) Maamun al-Kuzbariمأمون الكزبري (acting) 80px 29 September 1961  20 November 1961  Independent Izzat an-Nussعزت النص (acting) 80px 20 November 1961  14 December 1961  Military Nazim al-Kudsiناظم القدسي 80px 14 December 1961  8 March 1963 (deposed) People's Party Luai al-Atassiلؤي الأتاسي 80px 9 March 1963  27 July 1963  Military / Ba'ath Party(Syria Region) Amin al-Hafizأمين الحافظ 80px 27 July 1963  23 February 1966 (deposed) Military / Ba'ath Party(Syria Region) Nureddin al-Atassiنور الدين الأتاسي 80px 25 February 1966  18 November 1970 (deposed) Military / Syrian Ba'ath Party(Syria Region) Ahmad al-Khatibأحمد الخطيب (acting) 80px 18 November 1970  22 February 1971  Syrian Ba'ath Party(Syria Region) Hafez al-Assadحافظ الأسد 22 February 1971 10 June 2000 (died in office) Military / Syrian Ba'ath Party(Syria Region)(National Progressive Front) Abdul Halim Khaddamعبد الحليم خدام (acting) 80px 10 June 2000  17 July 2000  Syrian Ba'ath Party(Syria Region)(National Progressive Front) Bashar al-Assadبشار الأسد 80px 17 July 2000  8 December 2024  Syrian Ba'ath Party(Syria Region)(National Progressive Front) Abu Mohammad al-Julani 80px 8 December 2024IncumbentTahrir al-Sham

List of officeholders
Second Syrian Republic (1950–1958)
 No. Portrait Name Term of office Political party President(s) Took office Left office Time in office 1  Maamun al-Kuzbari 25 February 1952 28 February 1954  Arab Liberation Movement Fawzi Selu Adib Shishakli

United Arab Republic (1958–1961)
 No. Portrait Name Term of office Political party President(s) Took office Left office Time in office 2 100px Sabri al-Asali 7 March 1958 7 October 1958  National Party Gamal Abdel Nasser 100px Akram al-Hawrani 7 March 1958 19 September 1960  Ba'ath Party 100px Abdel Latif Boghdadi 7 March 1958 29 September 1961  National Union 100px Abdel Hakim Amer 7 March 1958 29 September 1961  National Union 3 100px Nur al-Din Kahala 20 September 1960 29 September 1961  National Union 4 100px Abdel Hamid al-Sarraj 16 August 1961 29 September 1961  National Union 100px Kamal el-Din Hussein 16 August 1961 29 September 1961  National Union 100px Zakaria Mohieddin 16 August 1961 29 September 1961  National Union 100px Hussein el-Shafei 16 August 1961 29 September 1961  National Union

Syrian Arab Republic (1961–2024)
 No. Portrait Name Term of office Political party President(s) Took office Left office Time in office 5 100px Muhammad Umran 8 March 1963 15 December 1964  Ba'ath Party Lu'ay al-Atassi Amin al-Hafiz 6 100px Nureddin al-Atassi 15 December 1964 28 December 1965  Ba'ath Party 7 100px Shibli al-Aysami 28 December 1965 23 February 1966  Ba'ath Party 8 100px Mahmoud al-Ayyubi 22 February 1971 7 August 1976  Syrian Ba'ath Party Hafez al-Assad 9 100px Rifaat al-Assad 11 March 1984 8 February 1998  Syrian Ba'ath Party 100px Abdul Halim Khaddam 11 March 1984 6 June 2005  Syrian Ba'ath Party Hafez al-AssadBashar al-Assad 100px Zuhair Masharqa 11 March 1984 21 February 2006  Syrian Ba'ath Party 10 100px Farouk al-Sharaa 21 February 2006 19 July 2014  Syrian Ba'ath Party Bashar al-Assad 11 100px Najah al-Attar 23 March 2006 8 December 2024  Syrian Ba'ath Party 12 100px Faisal Mekdad 23 September 2024 8 December 2024  Syrian Ba'ath Party

General Secretary of the National Command of the Ba'ath Party (1963-2024)
The General Secretary of the National Command of the Ba'ath Party was the most powerful ocupation in Syria from 9 March 1963  to 18 November 1970

 # Name Picture Took office Left office Political Party 1 Michel Aflaqميشيل عفلق 80px 9 March 1963  April 1965  Ba'ath Party(Syria Region) 2 Munif al-Razzazمنيف الرزاز 80px April 1965 25 February 1966 Ba'ath Party(Syria Region) 3 Nureddin al-Atassiنور الدين الأتاسي(de jure) 80px 25 February 1966 18 November 1970 Military / Syrian Ba'ath Party(Syria Region) Salah Jadidصلاح جديد (de facto) 80px 4 Hafez al-Assadحافظ الأسد 18 November 1970 10 June 2000 (died in office) Syrian Ba'ath Party(Syria Region)(National Progressive Front) 5 Hafez al-Assadحافظ الأسد(de jure) 10 June 2000 8 December 2024 Syrian Ba'ath Party(Syria Region)(National Progressive Front) Abdullah al-Ahmarعبدالله الأحمر(de facto)

Secretary of the Syrian Regional Command of the Ba'ath Party (1963-2024)
The Secretary of the Syrian Regional Command of the Ba'ath Party is the most powerful ocupation in Syria since 18 November 1970

 # Name Picture Took office Left office Political Party 1 Hammud al-Shufiحمود آل الشوفي 80px 9 March 1963  1964 Military / Ba'ath Party(Syria Region) 2 Amin al-Hafizأمين الحافظ 80px 1964  27 May 1964 Military / Ba'ath Party(Syria Region) 3 Shibli al-Aisami 80px 27 May 1964 1965 Military / Ba'ath Party(Syria Region) (2) Amin al-Hafizأمين الحافظ 80px 1965  25 February 1966 Military / Ba'ath Party(Syria Region) 4 Nureddin al-Atassiنور الدين الأتاسي 80px 25 February 1966  18 November 1970 (deposed) Military / Syrian Ba'ath Party(Syria Region) 5 Hafez al-Assadحافظ الأسد 18 November 1970 10 June 2000 (died in office) Military / Syrian Ba'ath Party(Syria Region)(National Progressive Front) 6 Bashar al-Assadبشار الأسد 80px 10 June 2000 8 December 2024  Syrian Ba'ath Party(Syria Region)(National Progressive Front)

Related pages
List of Prime Ministers of Syria
President of Syria
Prime Minister of Syria

References

Syria, List of Presidents of


Presidents

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Syria
Presidents