Interim president al-Sharaa signs Syria's constitutional declaration

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
13 Mar 2025 15:47

Under the draft, the People's Assembly will assume full legislative authority, while the president will hold executive power and will be granted the right to declare a state of emergency.

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Syria's interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, center, signs a temporary constitution for the country in Damascus, Syria, Thursday, March 13, 2025 (AP)

Syria's transitional president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, signed the draft of the Syrian constitutional declaration on Thursday after receiving it from the committee of legal experts responsible for its formulation.

Al-Sharaa expressed hope that the constitutional declaration would mark "a new beginning for the Syrian people on the path to development and progress."

The declaration stipulates the dissolution of the existing Constitutional Court, describing it as a "remnant of the previous regime."

In its place, the president is granted the authority to appoint a new constitutional court that will function under the current legal framework until a new judicial system is established.

Abdulhamid al-Awak, one of the seven members of the committee appointed by al-Sharaa to draft the interim constitution, stated during a press conference on Thursday that certain provisions from the previous constitution would be retained.

These include the requirement that the head of state must be Muslim and that Islamic law will remain the primary source of jurisprudence.

He emphasized that the constitution aims to strike a "balance between social security and freedom" amid Syria's fragile political landscape.

Syria's new constitutional declaration enshrines women's "social, political and economic rights" and guarantees the "freedom of opinion, expression and the press." It also reaffirms the country's commitment to the "absolute" separation of powers.

The declaration further emphasized Syria’s adherence to human rights agreements it has signed, ensuring judicial independence and granting the People's Assembly the authority to dismiss, remove, or limit the powers of the president.

Under the draft, the People's Assembly will assume full legislative authority, while the president will hold executive power and will be granted the right to declare a state of emergency.

The committee tasked with drafting the declaration specified that the transitional phase would last for five years. A new committee will now be formed to draft a permanent constitution.

A key objective of the interim constitution is to outline a timeline for Syria’s transition beyond its temporary phase.

In December, al-Sharaa indicated that rewriting Syria’s constitution could take up to three years, while organizing and holding elections might require up to five years.

Al-Sharaa established the committee to draft the new constitution following a national dialogue conference held last month, which called for the adoption of a temporary constitution and the organization of interim parliamentary elections.