France agreed to recognize Syria as a nation under intense nationalist pressure but did not withdraw its troops completely until 1946.

Ahmad Izzat al-Abid, who was fluent in Arabic, French, and Turkish, started working in the administration of Damascus Vilayet and was authorized to found a periodical.

Al-Abid joined his father traveling between England, Switzerland, France, and reached Egypt on the eve of World War I.

On 30 April 1932 Al-Abid was elected to the parliament in Damascus as a nominee of the National Bloc (Syria) and then elevated to the presidency on 11 June of the same year.

He was replaced by Hashim al-Atasi, the nominee of the National Bloc, though Syria would remain in control militarily until full independence in 1946.