Arab Socialist Union

The Arab Socialist Union Party of Syria ( Hizb Al-Ittihad Al-Ishtiraki Al-'Arabi fi Suriyah) (ASU) is a Nasserist political party in Syria. ASU was led by Safwan al-Qudsi. The party was formed in 1973, following a split from the original ASU. At the last legislative elections, 2007, the ASU was part of the National Progressive Front (Al-Jabhat Al-Wataniah Al-Taqaddumiyyah). the ASU was awarded 8 out of the 250 seats. The NPF is led by the Ba'ath Party. History Background: Arab Socialism in Syria Non-Nasserite Arab socialism in Syria has its origins in the Arab Socialist Party (ASP; also ASM, for Arab Socialist Movement). This party grew out of Syria's Hizb al-Shabab (Youth Party). In 1950, Akram al-Hawrani took over leadership of the party and changed its name to the Arab Socialist Party. After initial successes, the ASP was banned by Syria's de facto leader, Adib ash-Shishakli, in 1952, as he considered it to be too powerful a political rival. Akram al-Hawrani went into exile in Lebanon, and there agreed on a merger with a nationalist and pan-Arabist opposition party, the Arab Ba'ath Party. The new party was called the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party.