Quwatli, Shukri al- (1892-1967), Syrian statesman and first President of independent Syria. He was born in Damascus. He entered political life as a member of the National Bloc, who led opposition to the French mandate. He became the leader of the National Bloc in 1940, and was elected President in 1943. He worked to liberate Syria from French dominance. In April 1946, and after mounting international pressures, the last French troop left Syria after 26 years of occupation. In 1949, he was overthrown by a military coup led by Husni al-Zaim, who had Quwatli imprisoned for a short period before he was allowed to go into exile in Egypt. After a series of military coups, free elections were once again held in Syria, and Quwatli was elected President again. In February 1958, he signed the Union Pact with Egypt to establish the United Arab Republic with Gamal Abdel Nasser as president. He died in Beirut, Lebanon on June 30, 1967.