Latifa al-Droubi

Latifa al-Droubi
لطيفة الدروبي
Al-Droubi in 2025
First Lady of Syria
Current
Assumed role
29 January 2025
PresidentAhmed al-Sharaa
Preceded byAsma al-Assad[a]
Personal details
Born
Latifa al-Droubi

1984 (age 40–41)
Al-Qaryatayn, Homs, Syria
Spouse
(m. 2012)
Children3
RelativesAladdin al-Droubi (ancestor)
^ Role vacant from 8 December 2024 to 29 January 2025.

Latifa al-Droubi (Arabic: لَطيْفةُ الدُّروبيِّ; born 1984) is the First Lady of Syria, having assumed the role since 2025 as the wife of Ahmed al-Sharaa, who was appointed president for the transitional period in the country following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.[1][2]

Born in Al-Qaryatayn, a rural town in Syria's Homs Governorate, Al-Droubi holds a master's degree in Arabic language and literature. As First Lady, she participates in official events alongside her husband and met with Turkish First Lady Emine Erdoğan. Despite her husband's considerable media presence, al-Droubi maintains a private life away from the public eye.

Early life and education

Latifa al-Droubi was born in 1984 in Al-Qaryatayn, a rural town in Syria's Homs Governorate.[3] She holds a Master's degree in Arabic language and literature.[4] Turkish media has claimed that her grandfather, Aladdin al-Droubi, who served as the prime minister of Syria from 26 July until his assassination on 21 August 1920, was also the personal doctor of Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II.[5]

Her family includes prominent figures such as Sheikh Abdul Ghaffar al-Droubi, a renowned Quran reciter from Syria who passed away in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 2009,[6] and Ghazi al-Droubi, who served as Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources from 1984 to 1987 under President Hafez al-Assad. Her sister is also said to be married to Maher Marwan, the governor of Damascus.[7]

First Lady of Syria

It had been reported that al-Droubi generally wore a hijab, the conventional Syrian attire for women, but no niqab or face veil as sometimes speculated.[8] This was confirmed on 3 February 2025, when social media platforms circulated footage of al-Droubi performing the Umrah pilgrimage in Mecca with her husband during his first official visit to Saudi Arabia.[9][10] The next day, Turkish first lady Emine Erdoğan posted a photo taken with al-Droubi after she arrived in Turkey with her husband as part of a state visit.[11]

The following month, al-Droubi appeared alongside her husband at the Presidential Palace in Damascus in celebration of Eid al-Fitr and also to honour the children of martyrs.[12] On 11 April, she again appeared with her husband to attend the fourth Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Turkey. There, she met with First lady Erdoğan and discussed the possibility of working together to help women and children in Syria. Following the meeting, al-Droubi signed the global goodwill declaration of the Zero Waste Project.[13]

On 7 June, she appeared in public with her husband for a meeting with several Syrian women in celebration of Eid al-Adha.[14] The following day, a video appeared showing al-Droubi walking with her husband, surrounded by security personnel, through Tishreen Park in Damascus alongside the Syrian people.[15] She appeared with her husband on 3 July at the Presidential Palace for the launch of Syria's new visual identity, attended by various ministers and governors.[16]

Public image

Al-Droubi had maintained a private life away from the public eye, this despite her husband's considerable media presence.[17] A reporter from The Economist asked her husband if his wife would be the First Lady of Syria. He explained that the president's wife traditionally holds the role, not a random woman hired for it, and that she serves society rather than stands above it.[18]

Fidel Rahmati of Khaama Press noted that Ahmed al-Sharaa's involvement of his wife in official events is part of his effort to appear more moderate and to portray the Syrian transitional government as modern and balanced. He added that her increasing visibility, particularly at official events, reflects a change in her husband’s approach to public relations.[19]

Personal life

Al-Droubi met Ahmed al-Sharaa while they were both studying at Damascus University.[20] They were married in 2012.[21] Her husband said she lived with him in caves and poultry farms, depending on his work conditions. He often urged her to move to a safer place for the children, but she always refused.[21] The couple have three children.[22][23]

References

  1. ^ "وحدة ما فيه غيرها.. "لطيفة" زوجة الشرع وحياته تشغل التواصل" [Only One Wife.. "Latifa", Al-Sharaa's Wife and His Life Spark Social Media Buzz]. Al Arabiya (in Arabic). 31 January 2025. Archived from the original on 4 June 2025. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
  2. ^ Sally Shakkour (4 February 2025). "Who is Latifa, wife of Ahmed al-Sharaa?". Al-Bawaba. Archived from the original on 5 February 2025. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  3. ^ "Latifa Al-Droubi: The Secretive First Lady of Syria Who Just Shocked the World with Her Royal Appearances!". News of Kashmir. 7 February 2025. Archived from the original on 12 February 2025. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
  4. ^ "Who is Latifa al-Daroubi, wife of Syria's Ahmed al-Sharaa?". The New Arab. 4 February 2025. Archived from the original on 8 February 2025. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  5. ^ "Ahmed Şara'nın eşinin dedesi Abdülhamid'in doktoru çıktı!" [Ahmed al-Sharaa's wife's grandfather turned out to be Abdulhamid's doctor!]. Sözcü (in Turkish). 5 February 2025. Archived from the original on 4 June 2025. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
  6. ^ "لطیفہ الدروبی: 'معروف مذہبی خاندان' سے تعلق رکھنے والی شام کی خاتونِ اول" [Latifa al-Droubi: The First Lady of Syria from a 'Well-Known Religious Family']. BBC Urdu (in Urdu). 7 February 2025. Archived from the original on 4 June 2025. Retrieved 7 February 2025.
  7. ^ Carroll, Rosaleen (4 February 2025). "Sharaa's wife, Latifa Droubi, makes first appearance outside Syria: What we know". Al-Monitor. Archived from the original on 9 February 2025. Retrieved 7 February 2025.
  8. ^ "زوجة أحمد الشرع من تكون؟ جدل واسع على مواقع التواصل" [Who is Ahmed al-Sharaa's Wife? Widespread Debate on Social Media]. Al-Arab (in Arabic). 31 January 2025. Archived from the original on 15 February 2025. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
  9. ^ "Watch: The First Public Appearance of Ahmad al-Sharaa's Wife". MTV Lebanon. Archived from the original on 15 February 2025. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  10. ^ "Video reveals first public appearance of Latifa al-Daroubi, wife of Syrias Ahmed al-Sharaa". LBCIV7. 4 February 2025. Archived from the original on 5 June 2025. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  11. ^ "First image emerges of Ahmed Al-Sharaa's wife in Turkey". The New Arab. 5 February 2025. Archived from the original on 5 June 2025. Retrieved 7 February 2025.
  12. ^ "President al-Sharaa and his wife congratulate the children of martyrs on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr". Syrian Arab News Agency. 31 March 2025. Archived from the original on 5 June 2025. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
  13. ^ "أمينة أردوغان تلتقي بعقيلة الرئيس السوري" [Emine Erdoğan meets with the wife of the Syrian president]. Anadolu Agency (in Arabic). 11 April 2025. Archived from the original on 11 April 2025. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  14. ^ "President al-Sharaa: Syrian women are pivotal element and essential partner in labor and construction process". Syrian Arab News Agency. 7 June 2025. Archived from the original on 7 June 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
  15. ^ "فيديو يوثق تجول الشرع وزوجته في دمشق" [Video documents al-Sharaa and his wife touring Damascus]. Erem News (in Arabic). 8 June 2025. Archived from the original on 9 June 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  16. ^ "حضور رئيس الجمهورية العربية السورية السيد أحمد الشرع وعقيلته، حفل إطلاق الهوية البصرية السورية الجديدة، بمشاركة عدد من الوزراء والمحافظين" [President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Mr. Ahmed al-Sharaa, and his spouse attended the launch ceremony of the new Syrian visual identity, with the participation of several ministers and governors]. Al-Jamahir (in Arabic). 4 July 2025. Archived from the original on 3 July 2025. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  17. ^ "زوجة الشرع لطيفة الدروبي تحت الأضواء" [Al-Sharaa's wife, Latifa al-Droubi, in the spotlight]. The New Arab (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 14 February 2025. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  18. ^ "An interview with Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria's president". The Economist. 3 February 2025. Archived from the original on 23 February 2025. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
  19. ^ Rahmati, Fidel (12 April 2025). "Syria's First Lady Latifa al Droubi debuts at Antalya Diplomacy Forum (Includes Images and Video)". Khaama Press. Archived from the original on 2 June 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  20. ^ "Wace ce Latifa al-Droubi - Uwargidan shugaban riƙo na Siriya?" [Who is Latifa al-Droubi - the wife of the Syrian interim president?]. BBC News Hausa (in Hausa). 14 March 2025. Archived from the original on 3 June 2025. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  21. ^ a b ""عاشت معي في مغارات وتنقلنا في 49 بيتا".. أحمد الشرع يشعل تفاعلا بحديثه عن زوجته لطيفة الدروبي" ["She lived with me in caves and we moved between 49 houses".. Ahmed al-Sharaa sparks interaction by talking about his wife Latifa al-Droubi]. CNN Arabic (in Arabic). 8 June 2025. Archived from the original on 8 June 2025. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
  22. ^ Campbell, Alastair; Stewart, Rory (10 February 2025). "New President of Syria: Ahmed al-Sharaa". Leading (Podcast). Gallagher Podcasts. Event occurs at 20:04. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
  23. ^ "القصة الكاملة لسيدة سوريا الأولى.. لطيفة الدروبي تجذب الأنظار إليها بمكة.. وصفها أحمد الشرع بزوجته الوحيدة التي يحبها كثيرًا.. أنجبت 3 أبناء.. وولدت في حمص لأسرة عريقة" [The full story of the first lady of Syria.. Latifa al-Droubi attracts attention to her in Mecca.. Ahmed al-Sharaa described her as his only wife whom he loves very much.. She gave birth to 3 children.. and was born in Homs to a prominent family]. Veto (in Arabic). 4 February 2025. Archived from the original on 12 February 2025. Retrieved 4 February 2025.