1999 (next to be held NA
2006); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister
and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
election results: Hafiz al-ASAD reelected president; percent of
vote--Hafiz al-ASAD 99%

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Council or Majlis
al-shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 30 November-1 December 1998 (next to be held NA
2002)
election results: percent of vote by party--NPF 67%, non-NPF 33%;
seats by party--NPF 167, independents 83; note--the constitution
guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF alliance) receive
one-half of the seats

Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court, justices are
appointed for four-year terms by the president; High Judicial
Council; Court of Cassation; State Security Courts

Political parties and leaders:
National Progressive Front (NPF) includes: the ruling Arab Socialist
secretary general of the party, and chairman of the National

Political pressure groups and leaders: non-Ba'th parties have
little effective political influence; Communist party ineffective;
conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood (operates in
exile in Jordan and Yemen)

International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF,
CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Walid MUALEM
chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ryan CROCKER
embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus
mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top),
white, and black with two small green five-pointed stars in a
horizontal line centered in the white band; similar to the flag of
Yemen, which has a plain white band and of Iraq, which has three
green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line
centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which
has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band

Economy

Economy--overview: Syria's predominantly statist economy is on a
shaky footing because of Dama