What is Bashar al-Assad's Net Worth?
Bashar al-Assad, a Syrian politician and former doctor, has a net worth of $1.5 billion. He has been the President of Syria since 2000, following the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad. Bashar's ascension came after his older brother, the initial heir, died in a 1994 car crash. Bashar serves as the commander-in-chief of the Syrian Armed Forces and the Secretary General of the Ba'ath Party. His rule has been marked by numerous human rights violations, contributing to the ongoing Syrian Civil War and widespread poverty in the country.
President Barack Obama signed an Executive order on May 18, 2011, imposing sanctions on Bashar Assad in a bid to pressure his regime to halt violence against civilians and transition to a democratic system. The order added Assad and nine officials to a list subjecting them to travel bans and asset freezes.
Family Wealth
The al-Assad family reportedly controls 60-75% of the Syrian economy. Through this control, they have amassed a fortune ranging between $60-$120 billion, encompassing real estate, natural resources, art, and jewelry. Bashar's personal net worth stands at $1.5 billion.
Early Life
Bashar al-Assad was born on September 11, 1965, in Damascus, Syria, the third child of Anisa and Hafez al-Assad. He had five siblings: sisters Bushra and Bushra and brothers Majd, Bassel, and Maher. One of the Bushras died in infancy. At age five, his father took control of the Syrian branch of the Ba'ath Party, rarely seeing his children afterward. Bashar attended the Arab-French al-Hurriya School and later studied medicine at Damascus University.
Career Beginnings
After graduating from medical school in 1988, Assad served as an army doctor at Tishrin Military Hospital near Damascus. He then went to London for post-graduate training in ophthalmology at the Western Eye Hospital, but returned to Syria in light of his brother's death.
Political Ascendance
Bashar assumed his brother Bassel's role as the heir to the presidency after Bassel's death in a 1994 car accident. His father rigorously prepared him for leadership, starting with a role in the military. By 1999, Assad was a colonel in the elite Syrian Republican Guard. He fortified his position by campaigning against corruption and became president of the Syrian Computer Society, using the platform to manipulate his public image.
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President of Syria
After his father's death in June 2000, Bashar al-Assad became Syria's president, with the minimum age requirement for the position lowered from 40 to 34. He was also appointed as the commander-in-chief of the Syrian Armed Forces and the Regional Secretary of the Ba'ath Party. In 2007, Assad was approved for another seven-year term in a referendum devoid of opposition candidates.
The Arab Spring of 2011 brought mass protests demanding political reforms in Syria. Assad responded with a violent crackdown, killing over 5,000 civilians, which fueled the Syrian Civil War. The global community, including the United States and European Union, subsequently called for his resignation. Despite this, Assad was re-elected in 2014 and 2021 in elections criticized for being neither free nor fair.
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Policies
Assad enforces oppressive policies that severely impact Syria and its citizens. Economic sanctions have thrust the nation into extreme poverty. Assad's regime is notorious for crimes against humanity, employing secret police to imprison, torture, and execute opponents.
Positioning himself as an adversary of the West, Assad supports militant groups opposing Israel and collaborates with terrorist organizations like Al-Qaeda and ISIS, as well as allied dictatorships in North Korea and Russia. In 2015, Russia intervened militarily to assist Assad in managing the Civil War.
International Public Relations
Assad and his wife employ public relations firms from the United States and United Kingdom to improve their image internationally. His wife has appeared in various celebrity and fashion magazines, including Vogue. Assad uses social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to disseminate propaganda.
Personal Life
Assad married British-Syrian Asma Akhras shortly after becoming president in 2000. They have three children: Hafez, Zein, and Karim. Assad is fluent in English and can converse in French to some extent.
