According to aceinland, the national flag of Syria is a tricolor flag consisting of three vertical stripes in the colors red, white, and black. It was adopted on March 1, 1958 and is the official flag of the country ever since. The proportions of the Syrian flag are 2:3, with the red stripe being located at the hoist side.
The red stripe stands for the sacrifices made by Syrian martyrs who have lost their lives for their country. The white stripe symbolizes peace and purity, while the black stripe stands for Syria’s proud Arab heritage and culture. The three stars in a triangle formation that appears on each corner of the flag represent unity between Syrians from all walks of life and backgrounds.
The current Syrian national flag is based off an earlier version that was used during Syria’s period as a French mandate from 1920-1946. During this period, two green stars were added to represent minorities within Syria such as Armenians, Assyrians, Druze and Kurds. After gaining independence in 1946, these two green stars were removed from the design to create a unified national symbol for all Syrians regardless of religion or ethnicity.
The national flag of Syria is seen as an important symbol throughout the country and it is flown at important events such as Independence Day celebrations held on April 17th every year. As well as being flown proudly by citizens throughout Syria itself, it can also be seen around various parts of Europe such as Berlin where there are many Syrian diaspora communities living in exile due to conflict in their homeland.
Presidents of Syria
The presidents of Syria have been a powerful political force since the country’s independence in 1946. The first president of Syria was Shukri al-Quwatli, who was elected to the position in 1943. He was succeeded by Adib al-Shishakli in 1949, and then by Husni al-Za’im in 1950.
After the 1958 coup d’état, the Syrian Arab Republic was formed and General Amin Hafez became its first president. He served until his death in 1966 when he was succeeded by his Vice President, Nureddin al-Atassi. Atassi resigned from office in 1970 and was replaced by Hafez Assad, who would remain president for 30 years until his death in 2000.
Assad’s son Bashar al-Assad took over as president after his father’s death and has been reelected several times since then despite widespread international condemnation for his human rights abuses against Syrian citizens during the civil war. Assad is currently facing calls from many within Syria to step down from office due to his authoritarian rule and lack of respect for human rights.
Since 2003, there have been several other presidential elections held in Syria which have all resulted in Bashar al-Assad winning with large majorities of votes due to widespread voter fraud and intimidation tactics used by government forces during polling day. Despite these elections being largely seen as undemocratic, they are still seen as legitimate by many Syrians who support the current government led by Assad.
Prime Ministers of Syria
The prime ministers of Syria have been a crucial part of the country’s politics since its independence in 1946. The first prime minister of Syria was Muhsin al-Barazi, who served from 1945 to 1949. He was followed by Khalid al-Azm from 1949 to 1951 and then by Jamil Mardam Bey from 1951 to 1953.
After the 1958 coup d’état, General Amin Hafez became the president of Syria and formed a new government in which he appointed Sabri al-Assali as the first prime minister under his rule. Assali served until 1961 when he was replaced by Salah Bitar. Bitar held office until 1963 when he was succeeded by Mahmud al-Ayyubi, who would remain in office until 1965 when he was replaced by Ali Rifat al-Assad.
During Hafez Assad’s presidency, there were several other prime ministers including Mahmoud Zuabi from 1987 to 2000 and Muhammad Mustafa Mero from 2000 to 2003. After Bashar Al Assad took over as president in 2000, he appointed Muhammad Naji al-Otari as prime minister who served until 2016 when Imad Khamis took over.
Khamis is currently serving as the Prime Minister of Syria and is widely seen as a loyal supporter of Bashar Al Assad’s regime despite widespread international condemnation for his human rights abuses against Syrian citizens during the civil war.
