Syria: Bashar's 2 challenges

President Assad had been grooming his British-educated son, Bashar, for leadership for some time.

But Bashar al-Assad's poltical skills have often been unfavourably compared to President Assad's first choice as successor -- his elder son, Basel, who was killed in a car crash six years ago.

Basel was regarded as dynamic and popular whereas Bashar has been seen as reticent and publicity shy.

Recently, Bashar al Assad led an anti-corrpution drive which allowed him to be presented to the Syrian people as a reformer and moderniser.

President Assad has also appointed those loyal to Bashar to key posts.

But a BBC correspondent says Bashar may have to deal with infighting among Syria's political factions. One of the figures in the background is President Assad's brother Rifaat, who was sacked as vice-president in 1998.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service