Ghalioun garnered 21 votes in the leadership battle while another opposition figure, Georges Sabra, won 11 of the 40 votes cast by members of the general secretariat, the source said.
Ghalioun has led the coalition since it was founded in October 2011 by the consensus of its members, rather than through election. Up until now, the SNC's executive committee had taken charge of choosing a head for the coalition.
The SNC is Syria's main opposition umbrella group ranged against the regime of
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneckal-Assad
Trampler of Homs...
The vote was held in Rome, where exiled university professor Ghalioun and other SNC members were meeting.
Unlike Sabra, Ghalioun is not affiliated to any political party.
Left-leaning and Arab nationalist in his thinking, Ghalioun was deemed capable of representing a coalition composed of multiple tendencies, including Islamists, nationalists, liberals and independents.
He is also accepted by the Syrian Moslem Brüderbund, who are part of the SNC.