Government of Syria
 | |
| Founding document | Interim Constitution |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Syria |
| Legislative branch | |
| Legislature | People's Assembly |
| Meeting place | Parliament Building, Damascus, Syria |
| Executive branch | |
| Leader | President |
| Headquarters | Presidential Palace |
| Main organ | Council of Ministers |
| Judicial branch | |
| Court | Supreme Judicial Council |
| Seat | Supreme Court Building |
|
|---|
|
|
The politics of Syria takes place in a presidential system and is currently in a transitional period led by the transitional government. The seat of the government is located in Damascus, Syria.
On 8 December 2024, after the successful Syrian rebel offensives resulted in the fall of Damascus and the ouster of former president Bashar al-Assad, many former government officials under Assad's regime fled to neighboring countries for sanctuary. Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, the dominant opposition faction, has tasked Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir of the Syrian Salvation Government to head the First Syrian transitional government.[1] On 29 January 2025, Ahmed al-Sharaa was appointed President of Syria by the Syrian General Command for the transitional period during the Syrian Revolution Victory Conference in Damascus, after serving as the de facto leader following the fall of the Assad regime.[2]
On 13 March, he signed an interim constitution for a five-year transitional period, establishing Islamic law as a primary source of jurisprudence while ensuring the protection of the rights of all ethnic and religious groups in Syria.[3] Later, on March 29, the Second Syrian transitional government was announced by al-Sharaa during a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Damascus, replacing the previous First Syrian transitional government established after the fall of the Assad regime.
Executive branch
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The 2025 Interim Constitution establishes a presidential system where the president holds executive power and appoints ministers, without a prime minister.[4][5] Under the Interim Constitution, the vice president is a political position in Syria, appointed by the President, who also determines their powers, dismisses them, and accepts their resignations. If the presidency becomes vacant, a vice president assumes the President’s responsibilities.[6]
On 29 March 2025, the second Syrian transitional government was announced by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Damascus,[7] in which the new ministers were sworn in and delivered speeches outlining their agendas.[8] The government replaced the first Syrian transitional government, which was formed following the fall of the Assad regime.[9]
Legislative branch
[edit]An Interim Legislative Council is expected to be formed to act as Syria's legislature until a new constitution has been adopted.[10] Previously, the People's Assembly was Syria's legislature during the Ba'athist period. It has 250 members elected for a four-year term in 15 multi-seat constituencies. The Syrian constitution of 2012 introduced a multi-party system without guaranteed leadership of any political party.[11] After the collapse of the Assad Regime following successful rebel offensives late 2024, the People's Assembly was suspended on 13 December 2024 by the transitional authorities and abolished on 29 January 2025.[12]
Following the adoption of the 2025 Interim Constitution of Syria a provisional parliament called the People's Assembly was established with the president appointing one third of its members.[13]
Judicial branch
[edit]Syria's judicial branches includes the Supreme Constitutional Court, the Supreme Judicial Council, the Court of Cassation, and the State Security Courts. Islamic jurisprudence is a main source of legislation and Syria's judicial system had elements of Ottoman, French, and Islamic laws. Syria had three levels of courts: courts of first instance, courts of appeals, and the constitutional court, the highest tribunal. Religious courts handle questions of personal and family law.[14]
International organization participation
[edit]Syria is a member of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, Arab Monetary Fund, Council of Arab Economic Unity, Customs Cooperation Council, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, Food and Agriculture Organization, Group of 24, Group of 77, International Atomic Energy Agency, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, International Civil Aviation Organization, International Chamber of Commerce, International Development Association, Islamic Development Bank, International Fund for Agricultural Development, International Finance Corporation, International Labour Organization, International Monetary Fund, International Maritime Organization, Intelsat, Interpol, International Olympic Committee, International Organization for Standardization, International Telecommunication Union, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Non-Aligned Movement, Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, United Nations, UN Commission on Human Rights, UN Conference on Trade and Development, UN Industrial Development Organization, UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, Universal Postal Union, World Federation of Trade Unions, World Health Organization, World Meteorological Organization, and World Tourism Organization.
Syria's diplomats last sat on the UN Security Council (as a non-permanent member) in December 2003.
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Al Jazeera Staff. "What to know about Syria's new caretaker government". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
- ^ "General Command appoints Ahmed al-Sharaa as President of Syria". Enab Baladi. 29 January 2025. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
- ^ "Syrian leader signs constitution that puts the country under an Islamist group's rule for 5 years". Associated Press News. 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Syria's new constitution gives sweeping powers, ignores minority rights". rfi. 14 March 2025. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
- ^ "Syria's Constitutional Draft Set for Release as Fact-Finding Committee Begins Investigations". Watan News. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
- ^ "Constitutional Declaration of the Syrian Arab Republic" (PDF). 13 March 2025. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 March 2025. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
- ^ "نص الإعلان الدستوري لسوريا 2025". الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 29 March 2025.
- ^ "وزراء الحكومة السورية يقدمون خططهم ويؤدون القسم الدستوري". Syria TV (Fadaat Media) (in Arabic). 29 March 2025. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
- ^ "At protest, Tel Aviv mayor vows to shut down the country if the government ignores a High Court ruling". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
- ^ https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/29/syrias-ahmed-al-sharaa-named-president-for-transitional-period
- ^ "SANA Syrian News Agency – Constitution of the Syrian Arab Republic Approved in Popular Referendum on February 27, 2012, Article 8". Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
- ^ "Syria new leadership suspends constitution, parliament for 3 months". Middle East Monitor. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
- ^ "Syria's new constitution gives sweeping powers, ignores minority rights". France24. 14 March 2025. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
- ^ "Syria (05/07)". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 22 July 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
External links
[edit]- The Syrian Constitution accessed 13 November 2012
- "Government of Syria portal before December 2024". Archived from the original on 9 December 2024.