The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) has published a paper offering a critical reading of the Syrian constitutional declaration, which the transitional president Ahmad al-Sharaa received and signed on March 13.
The paper examined the context of its drafting, content, and institutional structure, highlighting shortcomings as well as opportunities to make it a more inclusive and participatory transitional framework that balances the demands of stability with principles of good governance.
The collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024 created a dangerous constitutional and institutional vacuum, prompting the new authorities to issue the constitutional declaration in March 2025. The document, composed of 53 articles, drew inspiration from the 1950 constitution and pledged to establish a state of citizenship, freedom, and rule of law, according to SNHR.
The organization acknowledged that the declaration helped avoid chaos and provided a framework for managing the transition by combining positive elements, such as codifying human rights, with troubling aspects, notably the concentration of powers in the executive branch and the lack of participatory foundations.