Syria has a constitutional declaration, “new page in history” of the country

The acting president of Syria, Ahmed al-Charaa, praised a Thursday March 13 “New page in history” of his country after the signing of a constitutional declaration. Established for a five -year transitional period, the text notably guarantees freedom of expression and women’s rights.

“This is a new page in the history of Syria, where we replace injustice with justice (…) and suffering by mercy “said Ahmed al-Charaa, who overthrew, at the head of a rebellious coalition dominated by Islamists, Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, after more than thirteen years of civil war.

The new authorities abolished the Constitution and dissolved the Parliament, which was a chamber of execution of the decisions of the power under Bashar al-Assad. Ahmed al-Charaa, appointed acting president in January, said that it would take four to five years to organize elections.

Announced at a press conference at the presidential palace, in Damascus, the constitutional declaration, however, aroused criticism from the Kurdish autonomous administration in the northeast of the country. For the important Kurdish minority, the text “Contrad the reality of Syria and its diversity”. He “Does not reflect the spirit of the Syrian people and its different components, from Kurds to Arabs, passing by Syriacs, Assyrians and other national Syrian components”estimated the Kurdish administration.

The announcement of the constitutional declaration comes shortly after massacres committed in western Syria, the worst violence since the coming to power of the new authorities.

“Separation of powers”

The new constitutional declaration “Criminalizes the glorification of the Old Regime of Assad and its symbolssaid the presidency. Deny, rent, justify or minimize their crimes are crimes punishable by law. »»

The declaration “Protect” also the “Freedom of belief” And establishes a strict separation of powers, in a country where the Assad clan has reigned without sharing for more than half a century. “We have deliberately opted for strict separation”said a member of the editorial committee, Abdel Hamid al-Awak, stressing that the Syrians had suffered in the past “The encroachment of the President of the Republic on the rest of the powers”. Abdel Hamid al-Awak said that a superior electoral commission would be formed to supervise the elections of Parliament.

According to the constitutional declaration, it is up to the acting president of “Name the third party” members of the future assembly, “Only responsible for the legislative process”. The constitutional declaration gives the president only one exceptional power, that of declaring the state of emergency. Islamic case law remains “The main source” of the legislation and Islam the religion of the president, as before.

“Rights and freedoms”

The declaration guarantees “A wide range of rights and freedoms, including freedom of opinion, expression, press”while guaranteeing women “Their social, economic and political rights”according to Abdel Hamid al-Awak.

It also provides for the formation of a “Transitional justice committee”aimed in particular to do justice to “Victims and survivors” dictatorship. She underlines on another plan “Independence” of justice and prohibit “The establishment of exceptional courts” of which the Syrians have seriously suffered in the past. She finally mentions “The need to form a committee to write a final constitution”.

The United Nations Special Envoy (UN) for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said “Hopefully the declaration [constitutionnelle] may constitute a solid legal framework for a truly credible and inclusive political transition ”adding that “Its correct implementation will be essential”according to a UN spokesperson on Thursday.

The UN organization is ready to work alongside Syria to “An inclusive political transition which guarantees that we are making accounts, which promotes national reconciliation and which lays the foundations for a lasting recovery [du pays] »»said the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.