1971 Syrian presidential election

Presidential elections were held in Syria on 12 March 1971. There was only one candidate, Hafez al-Assad, with voters asked to approve or reject his candidacy. A reported 99% of voters voted in favour, with a turnout of 95%.
These were the first elections to ever take place in Ba'athist Syria, which was established in 1963 following the 1963 coup that brought the [Arab Socialist Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region|Ba'ath Party – Syria Region|Ba'ath Party] to power. The elections marked the beginning of the Assad dynasty, who seized power in November 1970; the Ba'ath Party and Assad family would rule Syria for the next six decades until the regime was overthrown by anti-Assad rebels in 2024.