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Syrian Arab Republic

https://www.idea.int/democracytracker/

July 2024

Syrian government holds parliamentary elections
Election flag

Syria held parliamentary elections on 15 July in the 70 per cent of Syrian territory controlled by President Bashar al-Assad. According to the Higher Judicial Committee for Elections (HJCE), 1,516 candidates ran for the 250 seats in the Syrian People’s Assembly (Majlis Al-Shaab). All candidates were pre-approved by the HJCE, and 7,400 pre-approved candidates withdrew before the election. The HJCE annulled election results in some polling stations in Hama, Aleppo and its countryside, Latakia, and Daraa due to reports of ballot stuffing, with the elections re-run in the affected areas on 16 July. The HJCE reported a voter turnout of 38.16 percent. The ruling Ba'athist party won 169 seats, its allied parties secured 16 seats, and independents obtained 65 seats. The Syrian opposition condemned the election, which lacked credible observers. Before the vote, protesters in the cities of Sweida and Daraa called for boycotts, arguing that the election did not align with UNSC Resolution 2254, which stipulates that parliamentary and presidential elections in Syria should occur within a political process after forming a credible transitional governing body. A total of 24 women MPs were elected, four less than in the 2020 parliament.

Sources: SANA (1), SANA (2), Al Arabiya, Syria TV (1), Syria TV (2), IPU, International IDEA

Protests in Sweida against the Syrian parliamentary elections

In early July, protesters in the southern Syrian governorate of Sweida called for a boycott of the 15 July parliamentary elections. Local media reported peaceful demonstrations, with participants condemning the elections as illegitimate, following an online campaign by Syrian opposition activists. On election day, protesters reportedly seized ballot boxes at some of the 268 polling stations in Sweida, attempting to block the polls. A passerby in Sweida was injured when security forces opened fire, though no major clashes were reported. Protests in the predominantly Druze governorate of Sweida started in August 2023, driven by opposition to military conscription.

Sources: Enab Baladi (1), Enab Baladi (2), Suwayda 24, The National, International IDEA

Riots against Türkiye in northwestern Syria amid normalization concerns and anti-Syrian violence
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In early July, northwestern Syria experienced notable unrest, including protests and attacks targeting Turkish military forces. The burning of lorries and assaults on Turkish assets led to clashes between armed protesters and Turkish forces, resulting in the death of seven people along the Turkish-controlled Syrian border. In response, Türkiye closed border crossings and shut down Turkish-linked internet networks. This development, coinciding with a rise in anti-Syrian sentiment in Türkiye, highlights growing tensions among certain factions of the Syrian opposition. These tensions are fueled by fears that Türkiye might be moving towards normalizing relations with the Syrian government, which could impact the conflict dynamics in Syria's northwest.

Sources: Middle East Institute, France 24, Enab Baladi, International IDEA

April 2024

Report alleges widespread rights violations in detention facilities holding IS suspects

A report published in April by Amnesty International alleges that Islamic State (IS) suspects and their families held in detention facilities in the autonomous north-east region of Syria have been subjected to widespread human rights abuses by the authorities there. According to the report, many of the estimated 56,000 detainees had been tortured, suffering ‘severe beatings, stress positions, electric shocks and gender-based violence’ and that ‘thousands more’ had been disappeared. It also found that detainees were deprived of food, water and medical care and that some had died of suffocation in overcrowded cells. The detainees were incarcerated in the facilities following the territorial defeat of IS in Syria in 2019 and Amnesty International states that the vast majority are being indefinitely detained without charge or trial. In their response to the report, the Autonomous Authorities of the North East Syria Region criticised the countries whose nationals were detained in the facilities for failing to repatriate them.  While the detention facilities are run by the autonomous authorities, they were built and refurbished by a US-led coalition of 29 states.

Sources: Amnesty International, Associated Press News  

August 2023

Rare anti-government protests erupt amid growing economic hardships

Since early August, Syria has been experiencing rare anti-government demonstrations, fuelled by economic hardship, the collapse of the Syrian currency, and widespread corruption. Protesters are demanding that the government address these issues, which have exacerbated the already dire living conditions in the country. While the majority of the protests have remained peaceful, there have been occasional instances of violence. Syria’s government has responded with a mix of concessions and crackdowns, but this strategy has failed to quell public discontent.

The protests originated in Syria’s southern regions and gradually expanded to major cities like Damascus and Aleppo, primarily taking place in areas under government control. They have been ongoing for four weeks, calling for regime change and the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.

Sources: Al Jazeera, The New Arab, Al Monitor, The New York Times

May 2023

Syria re-joins Arab League after 12-year suspension

The Arab League voted to readmit Syria on 7 May after its membership was suspended following the regime’s violent crackdown on the uprisings that began in 2011. The move has been criticized for disregarding the regime’s past and persistent violations of human rights, undermining accountability and justice. This is the latest step in regional efforts to normalize relations with the Assad regime after a decade of relative isolation due to its ongoing human rights abuses. As a full member of the organization once again, President Bashar al-Assad was welcomed by the region’s leaders and participated in the summit hosted by Saudi Arabia on 19 May. The Arab League’s unanimous decision has prompted concerns about the region’s commitment to upholding human rights principles.

Sources: National Public Radio, Al Jazeera (1), Reuters, Deutsche Welle, Al Jazeera (2), Al Monitor

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Global ranking per category of democratic performance in 2023

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Representation
154/173
Rights
172/173
Rule of Law
163/173
Participation
170/173
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Basic Information

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Population Tooltip
22 125 249
System of government
Presidential system
Head of government
Prime Minister Hussein Arnous (since 2020)
Head of government party
Ba'ath Party
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
Block Vote
Women in lower or single chamber
11.2%
Women in upper chamber
Not applicable
Last legislative election
2020
Effective number of political parties
2,21
Head of state
President Bashar al-Assad
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
24/01/2022
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
72.13%
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Human Rights Treaties

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State Party State party
Signatory Signatory
No Action No action
United Nations Human Right Treaties
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
State Party
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
State Party
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
State Party
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
State Party
Convention on the Rights of the Child
State Party
International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
State Party
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 
No Action
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
State Party
International Labour Organisation Treaties
Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention
State Party
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention
State Party
Equal Remuneration Convention
State Party
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
State Party
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
State Party
Regional Treaties
Arab Charter on Human Rights
State Party
in
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Performance by category over the last 6 months

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Global State of Democracy Indices

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Explore the indices
Representation
Representation
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high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rights
Rights
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high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rule of Law
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high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Participation
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high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4

Factors of Democratic Performance Over Time

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