Syria: Constitutional Declaration is for the transitional phase only

The Legal Committee for Drafting the Constitutional Declaration said in a statement to the Syrian News Agency (SANA) that “in light of the legal vacuum resulting from the cancellation of the 2012 constitution drafted by the Bashar Al-Assad regime, it has become necessary to draft a constitutional declaration that regulates the transitional phase and directs the state’s path towards stability and reconstruction. This is not considered an alternative to the permanent constitution.”

The Legal Committee said that “the Constitutional Declaration’s legitimacy stems from the National Dialogue Conference and the Victory Conference, where the various groups of the Syrian people agreed on the need to have a legal framework that regulates the transitional phase, defines the foundations of governance, and guarantees rights and freedoms.” The document, it added, “defines the powers of the three authorities (legislative, executive, and judicial).”

Once a draft Constitutional Declaration has been drawn up, it will be submitted to the presidency for approval, the committee explained.

According to leaks, Syria’s interim President Ahmed Al-Sharaa will appoint the People’s Assembly within 60 days from the date of issuing the Constitutional Declaration, provided that the People’s Assembly includes 100 members who represent the country’s groups and competencies. This new body will serve for two years.

Last month, Al-Sharaa said it would take between four and five years to hold presidential elections to allow time for the country to rebuild its infrastructure after a 13-year civil war.

READ: Syria forms committee to draft constitutional declaration for transitional phase