Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa of Syria has signed a constitutional declaration, marking the beginning of a five-year transitional period. This action comes three months after his Islamist group led a successful rebel attack against the government of Bashar al-Assad.
The declaration reiterates that Islam is the official religion of the president and that Islamic jurisprudence is now the main source of legislation, a shift from its previously secondary role. It also introduces the separation of powers and judicial independence, while guaranteeing the rights of women, freedom of expression, and media freedom.
Sharaa expressed hope that this would constitute “a new history for Syria”, characterized by justice replacing oppression. Geir Pedersen, UN special envoy for Syria, welcomed the move towards re-establishing the rule of law, noting that it fills an important legal void. However, the Kurdish-led administration in north-eastern Syria criticized the declaration, claiming it fails to represent the diversity of the country.
In January, rebel military commanders appointed Sharaa as transitional president and enacted significant changes, including the cancellation of the Assad-era 2012 constitution and the dissolution of the former government’s parliament, army, and security apparatus. Sharaa recently announced the formation of a committee to develop this legal framework for the transitional phase.
The draft constitution aims to balance security with individual rights and freedoms. It ensures that the president has executive authority with limited exceptional powers, such as the ability to declare a state of emergency. A new People’s Assembly will have sole responsibility for legislation, with members appointed by a combination of a president-selected committee and the president himself.
Despite Sharaa’s promises for an inclusive government and the drafting of a new, permanent constitution, challenges remain. The nation is still recovering from a brutal civil war initiated by Assad’s crackdown on pro-democracy protests 14 years ago. Recent violence in the western coastal region, involving revenge killings against Alawites following an ambush on a security patrol, has raised concerns about Sharaa’s leadership and intentions, given his history with al-Qaeda’s former Syrian affiliate.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that Syria’s future remains precarious and urged the caretaker authorities to act on their commitments to build an inclusive, credible foundation for all Syrians.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c70ely2p6e4o
