Syria is a parliamentary republic that gained independence from France on April 17, 1946. After almost 30 years of political instability, a constitution was adopted on March 13, 1973. The country is ruled by an authoritarian regime of the Arab Socialist Baath Party, which justifies its command by a state of emergency that has been in effect since 1963, emanating from conflicts with Israel.

Executive
The executive branch is composed of the president, vice presidents, prime minister,   more... Executive
The executive branch is composed of the president, vice presidents, prime minister, deputy prime minister and a 32-member cabinet called the Council of Ministers.

The presidential appointee, who must be Syrian Arab Muslim, a member of the Baath Party, and at least 34 years old, is approved by a national referendum every seven years. The president has no term limits. The current president, Bashar Assad, was first elected in 2000. He succeeded his late father, Hafez Assad, who served from 1971 to 2000.

Before Hafez Assad's death, the mandatory minimum age of the president was 40, but in June 2000, Parliament approved the lower age, which allowed Bashar Assad to become a candidate.

The majority of Syria's political decision-making rests with the president who under the constitution is the head of state, chief executive officer of the government, and the commander in chief of the military. He has the right to declare war and states of emergency, to issue laws, amend the constitution, and appoint executive branch officers and military leaders.

The vice presidents, prime minister, deputy prime minister and Council of Ministers advise the president. The prime minister is the head of the Council of Ministers, which functions as the executive and administrative arm of the president.

The president can only be removed from office on a charge of high treason and can only be tried by the High Congressional Court, of which he is a member.

Legislative
Syria has a unicameral national legislature called the People's Council. The People's Council has 250 members from 14 different constituencies that are elected by popular vote every four years. It meets three times annually, with the option to assemble for special sessions if necessary.

Syria has a unicameral national legislature called the People's Council. The People's Council has 250 members from 14 different constituencies that are elected by popular vote every four years. It meets three times annually, with the option to assemble for special sessions if necessary.

The constitution guarantees 167 seats for members of the National Patriotic Front, or NPF, a seven-party coalition that allots 135 of those seats to the Baath Party. Independent parties are permitted, but they are not allowed to comprise the majority, they must recognize the leadership of the NPF, and are only allotted 83 seats.

The council's power in the legislative process is limited. Its members are unable to initiate laws, although they may modify them. They can ratify new amendments or laws proposed by the president.

At the regional level, provincial councils and governors provide authority for Syria's 14 governorates, but their autonomy is limited by the executive branch. The governor, who is approved by the Council of Ministers, is assisted by the provincial council in regional issues.

Three-quarters of the provincial council is elected by voters every four years and the other quarter is appointed by the ministry of interior and the governor. Of the legislators elected to the provincial council by popular vote, six to 10 are approved by the national government to be the executive members of the council.

Judicial
The Supreme Constitutional Court is the highest court in the Syrian judicial system. Four justices, appointed by the president, and the president himself sit on the court. The term of membership on the court is four years, but each justice seat is renewable. The court adjudicates electoral disputes and reviews the constitutionality of laws and legislative decrees.

There are numerous civil and criminal appeals courts, the highest being the Court of Cassation.

In addition, there are courts that handle specialized cases. The Economic Security Court tries cases involving financial crimes, the Supreme State Security Court hears cases of national security and the Personal Status Court hears marriage and divorce cases.

Voting rights are granted to all Syrians who are at least 18 years old. However, military officers, police and immigrants cannot vote.    more... Voting rights are granted to all Syrians who are at least 18 years old. However, military officers, police and immigrants cannot vote.

A direct popular vote determines the president, the People's Council, and three-quarters of the provincial assembly membership.

The presidential selection is a referendum on one candidate. It is not an election, as no one is allowed to run against the Baath Party's selection for office. In the 2000 presidential referendum, Bashar Assad garnered 97.29 percent of the vote.

Citizen participation in the regional and national elections has varied over the past few years. In 1999, 66 percent of the population voted in municipal elections, according to the United Nations, but in 2003, just 37 percent of people turned out to elect regional administration. However, 63.5 percent of the 7 million eligible voters participated in the 2003 national legislative elections.

The Syrian legal system is based on a combination of Ottoman and French civil law, as well as Sharia, or Islamic law. As required by the Article 3 of the constitution, Islamic jurisprudence is the basis for all legislation.    more...

The Syrian legal system is based on a combination of Ottoman and French civil law, as well as Sharia, or Islamic law. As required by the Article 3 of the constitution, Islamic jurisprudence is the basis for all legislation.

The legal system is divided into two parts, the civil and criminal courts and the personal status courts.

In the civil and criminal court system, defendants face trial by judges. Judges are appointed by the Supreme Judicial Council, which is chaired by the Ministry of Justice, a cabinet member appointed by the president.

Defendants who are tried before the courts are presumed innocent and are able to choose their legal representation. Those who cannot afford lawyers are appointed one by the court system.

Appeals of verdicts start at the provincial level and conclude at the Court of Cassations, the highest appeal court. These appeals are hard to win, according to the United Nations Program on Governance in the Arab Region (POGAR), because there are no verbatim transcripts of trials, just a trial summary written by the sentencing judge.

The personal status courts, which primarily handle marriage, divorce and child custody cases, operate under Sharia law, but separate courts handle matters involving non-Muslims.

The Doctrinal Courts, with Druze Muslim judges, rule on personal status of the Druze Muslim sect. The Spiritual Courts hear cases for Jewish, Christian, and other non-Muslim groups.