Bashar al-Assad

Bashar Hafez al-Assad (Arabic: بشار حافظ الأسد; b. 11 September 1965 in Damascus) is a Syrian politician who has served since 17 July 2000 as President of the Arab Union and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. He serves ex officio as commander-in-chief of the Union Defence Forces, and is also National Secretary of the National Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party. Assad is the third President of the Arab Union, and son of the late Hafez al-Assad, who served as second President of the Arab Union from 1970 until his death in 2000. Bashar al-Assad has been married since 2000 to Asma al-Assad, who is thus First Lady of the Arab Union.