Enab Baladi – Mowaffaq al-Khouja
Hope has returned to Syrians for the establishment of a state based on the principles for which the March 2011 revolution was launched, demanding justice, equality, freedom, and genuine (not symbolic) popular participation in governance. This hope emerged after Syria, on December 8, 2024, freed itself from a 54-year era of oppression ruled by the Assad family — father and son — with an iron fist and fire.
Following the fall of the regime, Syria entered a new era and hope, with the foundation of the long-awaited state. Despite the political openness witnessed in the country during the past period and a broad space of journalistic and social freedoms, Syrians remain dominated by fears of the return of a new authoritarian rule.
One of the main fears stems from the absence of accountability mechanisms in the interim constitution, which was ratified by Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in the transitional phase on March 13 of this year. The constitution defined the transitional period as lasting five years.
Interim Constitution
The constitutional committee divided the declaration into a preamble and four chapters. The first chapter included general provisions with 11 articles; the second chapter concerned rights and freedoms with 12 articles.
The third chapter dealt with the form of government and system during the transitional phase and included 24 articles. The fourth chapter contained final provisions with six articles.
The interim constitution received criticism from human rights activists and international organizations. Human Rights Watch stated that the recently approved Syrian constitutional declaration, which is supposed to govern the country during the transitional phase, endangers the basic rights of Syrian citizens.
In a report on March 25, the organization confirmed that the constitutional declaration, signed by President al-Sharaa, grants the president vast powers, including judicial and legislative appointments, without any checks or oversight.
Legal expert Ghazwan Qarnfal told Enab Baladi that there is no authority capable of holding the president accountable according to the constitutional declaration, considering that the president has seized all powers and authorities as an “absolute ruler.”
The interim constitution adopts a presidential political system in Syria, abolishing the post of prime minister and concentrating executive powers solely in the hands of the president.
In contrast, Abdul Hamid al-Awwak, spokesperson for the drafting committee of the constitutional declaration, said at a press conference following the signing of the constitution that the presidential system in the draft constitutional declaration does not allow one authority to dismiss another.
He pointed out that the constitutional declaration includes guarantees, especially those related to preventing the overreach of powers.
Undermining Democracy
Political analyst Hassan al-Nifi told Enab Baladi that the interim constitutional declaration contains many concerns, most notably the concentration of many powers in the person of the president.
He considered the matter of parliamentary elections and the formation of the parliament a “clear indication” of the president’s right to appoint one-third of its members.
He added that the president’s monopoly on numerous powers is a significant criticism of the declaration and may undermine the principle of democracy that Syrians aspire to.
Undoubtedly — and rightly so — the constitutional declaration lacks any clause or provision for holding the president accountable, which is a clear legal loophole.
Hassan al-Nifi Political Analyst
The People’s Assembly Does Not Hold the President Accountable
On June 13, the Syrian president announced the formation of the electoral committee to select the members of the People’s Assembly. The committee chooses two-thirds of the members, while al-Sharaa appoints the remaining one-third.
The committee began tours of Syrian provinces to “consultations” (survey public opinion) on the nature of the legislative council and the selection of its members.
According to the interim constitution, the People’s Assembly will have no authority over the presidency during the transitional phase, confirmed by al-Awwak, spokesperson of the constitutional declaration drafting committee.
At a committee conference in Aleppo, members described the issue of holding the president accountable as “sensitive,” explaining that the current constitutional declaration stipulates the continuation of existing laws unless they are repealed or amended.
According to the committee, there is no legal article enabling the People’s Assembly to hold the president accountable, except for what is stated in the Constitutional Court law, which has the authority to examine charges of high treason. Therefore, having an effective People’s Assembly is a crucial step toward enacting a new law that regulates the future accountability of the president.
A “Blind Authority”
Legal expert Ghazwan Qarnfal stated that the two most important functions of the legislative authority are to enact laws and oversee the actions of the executive authority.
He added that the constitutional declaration stripped the legislative council of the power to oversee and hold the executive authority accountable, limiting the council’s role to lawmaking only, describing the People’s Assembly as a “blind authority.”
He pointed out that the council cannot legislate laws to hold the president or the executive authority accountable because any legislation must not contradict the constitutional declaration, or else it would be considered unconstitutional.
The constitutional declaration has restricted the people’s powers and unleashed unrestrained power to the president, who is supposed to derive his authority from the people.
Ghazwan Qarnfal Legal Expert
The Street Holds the President Accountable
The electoral committee also faced criticism concerning how members of the People’s Assembly are appointed instead of being elected through popular vote.
The committee justified not holding elections due to several factors related to deteriorated infrastructure, the presence of displaced people in random tents, lack of accurate statistics, and areas outside government control in northeastern Syria.
Besides appointment, criticism also arose over the powers of the legislative council, the absence of accountability tools, and the inability to withdraw confidence or halt the work of executive authority members.
Tariq al-Kurdi, a legal committee member of the legislative council election committee, said in a televised interview that Syrians who went to the streets gave a kind of referendum on the legitimacy of the president.
He added that the people can hold the president accountable in the same way (by going out and protesting in the streets).
Political analyst Hassan al-Nifi sees that the means to hold the president accountable is the street, which is “a political matter, not constitutional or legal.”
He said Syria aspires to be a country of law and constitution and considered resorting to the street during protests and demonstrations as part of political activism.
He explained that demonstrations and protests fall under the realm of political activism, distinguishing between political movements and legal or constitutional authority.
He called for the constitution and its derivative laws to clearly outline mechanisms for holding all officials accountable, including the President of the Republic.
Who holds the president accountable in Syria? Enab Baladi.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Who holds the president accountable in Syria? )
Also on site :