On Hafez al-Assad's death, the constitution's age requirement is amended within hours and Bashar al-Assad — an ophthalmologist recalled to the succession after his brother's death — becomes president. The brief "Damascus Spring" of reform debate is closed down within a year.
Why it mattersThe succession demonstrated that the state was the family's instrument, and Bashar's decade of crony liberalisation and rural neglect loaded the grievances that detonated in 2011.
See this event in the timeline Interactive: select this record and follow what connects to it.