Syria: Legal Provisions Prevent Citizens from Political Participation

1. Introduction:

By its very definition, democracy allows the participation of all citizens in political decision-making. The democratic system is based on several principles, including the separation of powers, the rule of law, judicial independence, the right to participate in public affairs, respect for human rights, protection of freedom of thought and expression, freedom of the press and publication, formation of unions, political parties, and non-governmental organizations, freedom of belief, and the practice of religious ceremonies. The principles also include the right to hold peaceful strikes and demonstrations, reducing the centralization of power, expanding decision-making at all levels, and establishing executive and representative institutions in different parts of the country to manage civilian affairs to achieve sustainable, balanced, and equitable development.

Political participation is the essence of every policy and the heart of democracy; this importance is derived from the fact that it prevents authoritarianism and abuse of authority and, at the same time, enable peoples to choose the right politicians who can achieve their aspirations.

Political participation also cultivates in individuals a sense of dignity and political relevance, stimulates the awareness of both ruler and ruled about their tasks and responsibilities, and raises political consciousness.

In Syria, the current authoritarian regime follows an absolute State-centered policy manifested in its control of all aspects of citizens’ lives and the penetration of its security services into the state and society with broad powers to interfere in every activity. These systematic policies led to a decline in good governance indicators, zero participation of citizens in drafting and implementing political decisions, the erosion of the rule of law, widespread nepotism and payoffs, and the absence of independent media. People’s ingrained sense of grievance and hatred for this autocratic regime grew and grew until it burst into revolution in 2011.

The revolution denounced the oppressive regime and its systematic corruption and corrupt practices and called for political pluralism, the rule of law, unity of the Syrian people, social justice, equity, and decent life at all levels: economic, social, and political.

Well into the revolution, swaths of Syria were taken from the regime by the opposition, which established its institutions independent from the central government of Damascus. However, the opposition-run institutions were not satisfactory to Syrians except for some local councils. Unfortunately, almost all opposition bodies, including the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (SNC), the Syrian Interim Government (SIG), the High Negotiations Committee, and the Constitutional Committee, had flagrant foreign interference in the selection and appointment of most of their members and never saw a genuine transfer of power. For instance, in the latest elections for a new president of the SNC, the candidates were imposed by regional actors, and the voting was limited to ten “delegated” influential members of the SNC out of its appointed, non-elected 80 members.

The situation is the same in regions controlled by authoritarian de facto powers, where political participation is restricted to the limits set by the central authority. None of the de facto powers in Syria have been able to establish a model for genuine political participation that could form the basis of a future plan for Syria.

Although the stage that Syria is going through is unstable and unclear, it is considered by many Syrians as an inevitable “labor stage” to reach the future of Syria. In this vein, Syrians stress the importance of activating the files of justice and accountability, return of displaced persons and refugees, return of properties to their rightful owners, and activating the role of civil society to ensure the effective participation of all Syrians in building Syria’s future.

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