Born on September 11, 1965, Bashar al-Assad is a politician from Syria who became the country’s 19th president on July 17, 2000. Apart from his presidency, he is also the head of the Syrian Armed Forces and the secretary-general of the Central Command of the Ba’ath Party of the Arab Socialists.
Bashar al-Assad political career
Neo-Ba’athist ideology is the general tenet of the Ba’ath Party. The political path taken by Assad is a continuation of that of his father, General Hafiz al-Assad, the president of Syria from 1971 to 2000. During Hafiz al-Assad’s presidency, Syria underwent a significant transformation from a republican state to a dynastic dictatorship.
This shift was characterized by tight control exercised by an Alawite-dominated elite, comprising the armed forces and the Mukhabarat (secret services), all of whom remained loyal to the al-Assad family. The legacy of Hafiz al-Assad’s rule shaped the political landscape, with the Ba’ath Party elites, predominantly Alawites, at the helm of power.
Born in Damascus in 1965 to Anisa Makhlouf and Hafiz al-Assad, Bashar al-Assad was the second son and third child in the family. Hafiz al-Assad, hailing from an impoverished rural Alawite family, ascended the ranks of the Ba’ath Party, ultimately assuming control of the Syrian branch during the Corrective Movement.
Following a revolution, the military and political landscape underwent a transformation that favored Alawite strongmen while marginalizing Sunnis, Druze, and Ismailis from key positions within the army and the Ba’ath Party.
Bashar al-Assad’s Early and Family
Growing up, Bashar al-Assad was one of five siblings—three of whom had already passed away—as well as one sister, Bushra, who had died at a young age. Majd, his younger brother, had intellectual disabilities and passed away in 2009 after a protracted illness.
In contrast to his family’s political and military ambitions, Bashar was reticent and unassuming. He was obviously not very involved in politics because he was seldom in his father’s office and later admitted to having only been in it once.
The political and familial background of Bashar al-Assad’s upbringing highlights the transformational period under his father’s rule and the consolidation of power within the Alawite elite, offering insight into the complex dynamics that shaped his path to the presidency.
The politician Bashar al-Assad of Syria is fluent in English and has some conversational French. Hafez was their first child, born in 2001, after he wed Asma Akhras in 2000. In 2023, Hafez received his degree in master’s thesis in number theory from Moscow State University.
Zein and Karim were their two kids. As an Alawite Muslim, Bashar has made two Hajj pilgrimages. In order to live in the United Arab Emirates, his mother, Anisa Makhlouf, and sister, Bushra al-Assad, left Syria in 2012 and 2013, respectively. In 2016, Makhlouf passed away in Damascus. Assad and his spouse tested positive for the virus during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they subsequently recovered and tested negative.
Bashar al-Assad net worth: How rich is he?
Bashar al-Assad’s estimated net worth ranges from $1 billion to $2 billion, according to reports. This estimate is based on publicly available data because the Assad family’s holdings are mostly obscured and challenging to locate.
