1961 Syrian presidential election

{{Short description|none}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2026}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2026}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name =
| country = Syria
| flag_year = 1932
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_year = {{nowrap|[[1958 Syrian United Arab Republic referendum|1958 (UAR)]]<br>←&nbsp;[[1955 Syrian presidential election|1955 (Syria)]]}}
| next_election = 1971 Syrian presidential election
| next_year = 1971
| election_date = {{Start date|1961|12|14|df=y}}
| image1 = Nazim al-Kudsi (cropped).jpg
| candidate1 = {{nowrap|[[Nazim al-Qudsi]]}}
| party1 = People’s Party (Syria)
| electoral_vote1 = ”’153”’
| percentage1 = ”’89%”’
| image2 =
| candidate2 = {{nowrap|[[Dahham al-Hadi]]}}
| party2 = Independent
| electoral_vote2 = 2
| percentage2 = 1.1%
| image3 =
| candidate3 = {{nowrap|[[Fahd al-Dandal]]}}
| party3 = Independent
| electoral_vote3 = 1
| percentage3 = 0.6%
| title = [[President of Syria|President]]
| before_election = [[Gamal Abdel Nasser]] (UAR)
| before_party = National Union (United Arab Republic)
| after_election = [[Nazim al-Qudsi]]
| after_party = People’s Party (Syria)
}}
The ”’1961 Syrian presidential election”’ was held on 14 December 1961, when the Syrian [[Constituent and Parliamentary Assembly]] elected [[Nazim al-Qudsi]] as [[President of Syria|President of the Syrian Republic]] by 153 votes out of 172. The election took place shortly after Syria’s secession from the [[United Arab Republic]] in September 1961, and marked the country’s return to parliamentary democratic governance. Al-Qudsi, described by contemporary observers as a moderate conservative, immediately began moves to form Syria’s first parliamentary-based government since the break with Egypt.<ref name=”source 1″>{{cite web |title=The New York Times: Syrian Assembly Elects President. Dec 15th, 1961 |url=https://nazemalkoudsi.com/en/library/newspaper/new-york-times-syrian-assembly-elects-president |website=Presidental Library of Dr. Nazem al-Koudsi}}</ref>

== Background ==

Syria had been part of the United Arab Republic since 1958. Following a [[1961 Syrian coup d’état|military coup]] on 28 September 1961, Syria declared its secession from the UAR. A [[Maamun al-Kuzbari government|provisional government]] was established, and [[1961 Syrian parliamentary election|elections]] were held for a new parliament of 172 deputies. The newly elected assembly then proceeded to elect a President of the Republic.

== Candidates ==

[[Khalid al-Azm]], a left-wing political figure and former Prime Minister who had previously contested the [[1955 Syrian presidential election]], had been considered al-Qudsi’s main opponent. However, on the morning of election day, al-Azm withdrew his candidacy in order to, in his own words, “aid unification of the ranks of the new regime.”<ref name=”source 1″/> A British Embassy despatch from Damascus dated 15 December 1961 noted that al-Azm’s withdrawal gave al-Qudsi a virtually unopposed election, and that this withdrawal certainly added to his already strong claims for consideration.<ref name=”source 2”>{{cite web |title=British Embassy report on Syrian President-elect al-Koudsi Election Speech 15-12-1961 |url=https://nazemalkoudsi.com/en/library/outside-sources/british-embassy-report-syrian-president-elect-al-koudsi-election-speech-15 |website=Presidental Library of Dr. Nazem al-Koudsi}}</ref>

== Results ==
{| class=”wikitable”
! colspan=”2″ |Canditates
! Parties
! Votes
! %
|-
|{{Party color cell|People’s Party (Syria)}}
|[[Nazim al-Qudsi]]
| [[People’s Party (Syria)|People’s Party]]
| align=”right” | ”’153”’
| align=”right” | ”’88.95”’
|-
|{{Party color cell|Independent politician}}
|[[Dahham al-Hadi]]
| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| align=”right” | 2
| align=”right” | 1.16
|-
|{{Party color cell|Independent politician}}
|[[Fahd al-Dandal]]
| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| align=”right” | 1
| align=”right” | 0.58
|-
| colspan=5|
|-
|colspan=3|Required majority
| align=center| 114 votes
| align=center| Two-thirds of MPs
|-
| colspan=5|
|-
| colspan=3 | Valid votes
| align=”right” | 156
| align=”right” | 90.70
|-
| align=left colspan=3 | Blank and invalid votes
| align=”right” | 16
| align=”right” | 9.30
|- style=”font-weight:bold;”
| colspan=3 | Total
| align=”right” | 172
| align=”right” | 100
|-
| colspan=3 | Registered voters / turnout
| align=”right” | 172
| align=”right” | 100
|}

== Inaugural address ==

Al-Qudsi’s speech was described by the British Embassy as non-controversial in character; he mentioned no individual Arab or foreign state by name.<ref name=”source 2″/> He thanked the deputies for their confidence and spoke of his pride in the responsibility entrusted to him. He expressed regret that the renewal of parliamentary democracy in Syria should have arisen from the failure of hopes of creating a unified Arab homeland. He gave a brief summary of the Syrian Arabs’ struggle for freedom over the preceding forty years, and paid tribute to the members of the revolutionary command who had opened the way to freedom and dignity.<ref name=”source 2″/>

Al-Qudsi declared a policy of non-alignment as the best contribution Syria could make to world peace, and expressed support for the principles of the United Nations Charter. He spoke of his hope that the parliamentary democratic system could be made to work successfully, and that the new constitution would be soundly based so as to function smoothly regardless of personalities. He referred to the importance of citizen welfare and the need to utilise the country’s resources through carefully prepared development plans. He mentioned hopes of greater prosperity from the [[Euphrates Dam]] project and from the discovery of oil and other minerals. He closed with a tribute to the Syrian Arab Army for opening the way to freedom, and to the members of the provisional government who had carried out their duties impartially during the transition period.<ref name=”source 2″/>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Presidents of Syria}}

[[Category:1961 elections in Asia]]
[[Category:Presidential elections in Syria]]
[[Category:Indirect elections]]