Ahmed al-Shara: The Evolution of Syria’s New Leader

As the commander of a rebel group allied with Al Qaeda during Syria’s long civil war, the man known by his nom du guerre, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, welcomed foreign jihadists, dispatched suicide bombers to blow up military posts and vowed to create an Islamic state.

A decade ago, he told a journalist that Muslims should not enter Parliament to swear on a man-made constitution because they had to respect “the rule of God Almighty.”

The same commander became Syria’s new president after a rebel alliance he led ousted the strongman Bashar al-Assad in December. He broke with Al Qaeda years ago and now goes by his real name, Ahmed al-Shara. He has swapped his military fatigues for suits and has embarked on a charm offensive to convince foreign leaders and his fellow Syrians that he can repair his shattered country and lead it toward democracy — or something like it.

“If democracy means that the people decide who will rule them and who represents them in the Parliament, then, yes, Syria is going in this direction,” he told The Economist in an interview published this month.

The sharp contrast between Mr. al-Shara’s jihadist past and his pragmatic, nationalistic present has left Syrians and foreign officials wondering what he actually believes and how he will govern a critical country in the heart of the Middle East.