Syrian transitional government
Syrian transitional government | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Date formed | 8 December 2024 |
| People and organisations | |
| De facto Leader | Ahmed al-Sharaa |
| President | Vacant |
| Prime Minister | Mohammed al-Bashir |
| No. of ministers | 22 |
| Member parties | HTS |
| Status in legislature | Provisional |
| History | |
| Predecessor |  Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali government |
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The Syrian transitional government (الحكومة الانتقالية السورية, romanized: al-Ḥukūmah al-Intiqāliyah as-Sūriyyah) is the incumbent provisional government of Syria. It was established in December 2024 by the Syrian opposition after Ahmed al-Sharaa, Emir of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham and now the de facto Syrian head of state, appointed Mohammed al-Bashir as Prime Minister- replacing Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali on 10 December. This came after the fall of the Assad regime and the exile of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
On 8 December 2024, hours after the fall of Damascus, Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali, the outgoing prime minister and last head of government of the Ba'athist regime, agreed to lead the transitional government in a caretaking capacity.[1] He then transferred power to Mohammed al-Bashir, prime minister of the Syrian Salvation Government, two days later.[2] On 10 December, the transitional administration announced that it would remain in place until 1 March 2025, with all ministers from the Syrian Salvation Government taking up their same posts in the new transitional government.[3]
Background
[edit]Formation
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Ahmed al-Sharaa, leader of the Syrian Salvation Government, stated on Telegram that Syrian public institutions would not immediately be taken over by force and would instead temporarily be held by Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali until the full political transition was completed. Al-Jalali announced in a social media video that he planned to stay in Damascus and cooperate with the Syrian people while expressing hope that Syria could become "a normal country" and begin to engage in diplomacy with other nations.[8][9] Jalali also expressed his readiness to "extend its hand" to the opposition.[10]
Hadi al-Bahra, president of the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, said that an 18-month transitional period was needed to establish "a safe, neutral, and quiet environment" for free elections. This period includes six months to draft a new constitution. This transition, according to al-Bahra, should be in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254.[11]
The Prime Minister of the Syrian Salvation Government, Mohammed Al-Bashir, was tasked on 9 December with forming the new Syrian government during the transitional period.[2] He was expected to hold the position until 1 March 2025.[12] The ministers of the Salvation Government were expected to shift to their corresponding roles in the transitional government.[13]
Gender balance
[edit]The initial prime minister and cabinet, of 10 December 2024, together consisted of twelve men and no women.[14][15][16] As of 21 December 2024[update], it had extended to sixteen men and no women.[17][18][19][20] On 22 December, Aisha al-Dibs, a human rights activist, was appointed as the first woman minister in the cabinet, as head of the Women's Affairs Office.[21]
The previous Ba'athist cabinet[22] was also very male-dominated, with three female ministers, Lubanah Mshaweh, Diala Barakat, and Lamia Chakkour, out of 29 ministers.
On 18 December, HTS spokesperson Obaida Arnaout gave an interview in which he stated that "the essence of women and their biological and psychological nature do not fit all positions, such as the Ministry of Defense,"[23] and, "As for women's representation in ministerial and parliamentary roles, we believe that this matter is premature and should be left to legal and constitutional experts who will work on rethinking the structure of the new Syrian state."[24] Arnaout's 18 December statements were interpreted by historian Juan Cole as implying a ban against women serving as members of parliament, as ministers, or as prime minister. Researcher Milena Zain al-Din from Damascus University disagreed with the spokesperson's statement, stating, "We, the young women and women of Syria, are activists, politicians, human rights advocates, journalists, economists, academics, workers, and homemakers. ... Obeida Arnaout's rhetoric is unacceptable. The Syrian woman, who has struggled and endured alongside millions of Syrian women, is not waiting for you to choose a place or role for her that aligns with your mindset for building our nation."[23] There was widespread criticism online in reaction to Arnaout's statement.[24] Arnaout's comments and the outcry in response were seen as leading to the establishment of the Women's Affairs Office four days later and to al-Dibs' appointment as its head, as a minister in the transitional government.[21][25] A week later, on 29 December, al-Dibs' statements on women's rights, in which she stated that she would "not accept any opinion of feminist organizations or others that contradict [the government's] ideological orientation, or are incompatible with the government model" were widely criticised by Syrians.[26]
Policies
[edit]Economic reforms
[edit]Minister for the Economy Basil Abdul Aziz stated that there were plans to shift from a rather state-controlled economic model towards a stronger free-market model and liberalisation of import-export controls. Registration with the Damascus Chambers of Commerce would be considered sufficient authorisation to import goods, and the previously required approvals and permissions from the Central Bank of Syria (CBS) would no longer be needed. Business leaders interviewed by Reuters described the promised changes as encouraging. The government stated that reconstruction investment was a priority, with civil war damage estimated in the tens of billions of dollars.[27] A source from the central bank and two commercial bank sources, speaking with Reuters, said that on 10 December, banks would reopen and that staff had been asked to return. The Ministry of Oil and Mineral Resources told employees to return to work the same day, with Deutsche Welle stating that the ministry had added "protection would be provided to ensure their safety".[28]
The transitional ministry of transport said that Syrian airspace would be reopened to air traffic and added that it would announce the resumption of Damascus and Aleppo international airports.[29] On 16 December the Central Bank abolished the pre-existing import financing platform and announced that importers could finance the import of materials through their own sources if they did not conflict with domestic and international money-laundering laws. The CBS said importers no longer needed to visit the bank or obtain approval for importing goods and notified that exports no longer required obtaining a prior "export pledge" (تعهد تصدير).[30] That week it was reported that the Syrian pound had appreciated against foreign currencies; reaching 10,000 SYP to USD in some areas due to the return of displaced people in northern regions and diaspora, leading to increased amounts of foreign currency inflows. This resulted in the prices of commodities, including foodstuffs, decreasing. The Central Bank of Syria raised the buying exchange rate to 15,000 SYP to USD, 15,760.50 to EUR, and 428.97 TYR.[31] On 18 December the CBS said that ATM and electronic payment services were resumed, and directed banks to monitor withdrawal operations for what it said were temporary measures.[32]
Administrative reforms
[edit]The transitional government began implementing administrative reforms immediately after taking control of Damascus. Mohammad Yasser Ghazal, a technocrat from the Syrian Salvation Government, was appointed to oversee the restructuring of the Damascus governorate, with plans to serve as city council president. The new administration began reviewing departmental functions and addressing issues of bureaucratic inefficiency inherited from the previous government.[33]
Initial reforms focused on streamlining government services and addressing corruption. The transitional authorities found numerous inefficient departments and positions, including redundant administrative divisions. The new government emphasized the digitization of services, citing the example of ID processing, which they had already implemented in Idlib. They also began addressing issues of phantom jobs and systemic corruption that had developed under the previous administration, where government employees had been receiving approximately $25 per month in salary;[33] which are to be increased to SSG government minimum wages of $100.[34]
The administrative transition included meetings between outgoing department heads and new officials to understand and reform existing bureaucratic structures. Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir convened meetings between SSG ministers and former regime officials to facilitate the transfer of power to the new caretaker government.[33] The transitional government includes numerous senior officials from Idlib governorate, which Reuters said raised concerns about inclusiveness from among opposition sources. Policemen from Idlib were brought to Damascus to direct traffic,[34] while on 13 December the transitional government's Military Operations Command declared a curfew in Homs Governorate.[35]
Constitutional transition
[edit]A spokesman of the transitional government speaking to Agence France-Presse said that during the government's three-month term, the constitution and parliament would remain suspended. Also, a "judicial and human rights committee" would be established to review the constitution before making amendments.[36] Al-Sharaa stated to Al Jazeera Arabic that the choices of governance will be discussed among a group of experts; then, public elections would be held to make the final choice.[37]
Foreign affairs
[edit]After the fall of Bashar al-Assad, the governments of Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman, Turkey, Italy and France resumed diplomatic missions in Syria.[38] The new government met diplomats from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the European Union in the days immediately following the fall of the al-Assad regime.[39] They met with diplomats from the United States on 20 December 2024.[40]
Additionally, Israel has occupied the Golan Heights since the Six-Day War in 1967. There has been various settlement schemes in the region and it is not clear if the new Syrian government is planning to join the Abraham Accords in the near future.[41][42][43]
While Belarus, North Korea and the partially recognized state of Abkhazia evacuted its embassy personnel on 15 December 2024, its unknown if the new Syrian government plans to restore diplomatic relations with Georgia, which were severed in 2018 under the Assad regime.[44] Ukraine also plans to restore relations with Syria under the new regime, which were cut in 2022 after the previous regime recognized the quasi-states of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic, which were annexed into Russia later that year.[45]
Defense
[edit]Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Bashir has said the defense ministry would be restructured using former rebel factions and officers who defected from Assad’s army.[39] Murhaf Abu Qasra (nom de guerre; Abu Hassan al-Hamawi),[46] the military commander of Tahrir al-Sham said to The Economist, "All military units will naturally transition to the ministry of defence, forming a unified army tasked with protecting the nation on behalf of all Syrians." The Economist added that "[h]e insists that there will be no place in the new Syria for jihadists eager to launch attacks".[47] Abu Qasra, speaking with AFP, said that HTS would be "among the first to take the initiative" to dissolve its armed wing for a national army;[46] on December 21 it was reported that Abu Qasra was appointed transitional Minister of Defense.[48] Three days later the transitional government announced that a meeting between opposition groups and Ahmed al-Sharaa "ended in an agreement on the dissolution of all the groups and their integration under the supervision of the ministry of defence”.[49]
Members
[edit]Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammad al-Bashir told Al Jazeera on 16 December 2024 that "for the time being" ministers from the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG) would head national ministries.[50]
Cooperation with other Syrian authorities
[edit]As of 11 December 2024[update], leaders of the Syrian Democratic Forces, the military forces of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, were preparing for "negotiations that would create a broader-based Syrian government that is not under al-Julani's control". Leaders of the Southern Operations Room met with al-Julani on 11 December and expressed interest in "coordination", a "unified effort" and "cooperation", without stating that they would support the HTS transitional government.[55]
On 29 December 2024, it was reported that Ahmed al-Sharaa, Commander-in-Chief of Syria's new administration, stated in a televised interview that SDF forces would be integrated into Syria's Ministry of Defense, with negotiations currently underway.[56]
On 18 December, the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (SNC), which operates the Syrian Interim Government in Turkish-occupied zones expressed its support for al-Bashir's government. The SNC called for a national conference and for the formation of a government that would be "inclusive of all groups" and "represent all Syrian components".[57]
See also
[edit]- Politics of Syria
- Syrian civil war
- National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces
- Syrian Interim Government
- Syrian Salvation Government
- Foreign relations of the Syrian opposition
- International recognition of the Syrian National Council
- National Transitional Council, a similar provisional government in Libya that operated from 2011 to 2012
Notes
[edit]References
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{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Syrian coalition calls for 'comprehensive, non-sectarian' transitional government". Middle East Monitor. 18 December 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
