On 13 March, President Al-Sharaa signed a constitutional declaration for a five-year transitional period. The interim constitution requires the President to be Muslim and designates Islamic jurisprudence as the ‘main source’ of legislation. It grants the President full executive power, abolishing the role of Prime Minister. A new legislative assembly will be formed, with one-third of its members directly appointed by the President, and the rest chosen by a committee he also appoints. While judicial independence is nominally guaranteed, the President will appoint all seven members of the Higher Constitutional Court. The declaration includes language to protect women’s rights, press freedoms, and the “personal affairs” of religious minorities. However, provisions criminalizing the denial, justification, or glorification of Assad-era crimes and symbols have raised concerns that their broad language could be used to restrict freedom of expression. This declaration replaces the 2012 constitution, suspended in December 2024. Al-Sharaa assumed the presidency in January following a conference of armed groups.

Sources: Constitution Net, Human Rights Watch, Enab Baladi, Syria Justice and Accountability Centre

On 29 March, President Ahmed al-Sharaa appointed a new caretaker government, replacing the initial transitional cabinet formed after the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. The newly established 23-member cabinet comprises technocrats, former opposition figures, and individuals with links to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) —a former armed group led by al-Sharaa that previously governed Idlib in northwest Syria. The cabinet reflects the country’s ethnic and religious diversity, with a Sunni majority alongside representatives from minority communities, including a Christian, a Kurd, a Druze, and an Alawite. However, Hind Kabawat, the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, is the only woman in the cabinet. Former Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir now heads the Ministry of Energy, following the abolition of the prime minister's office under the newly adopted interim constitution.

Sources: Middle East Eye, Syria TV, The New Arab, Al Quds Al Arabi

Sectarian violence surged in coastal regions between 6 and 17 March, with the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) documenting 1,084 deaths. The wave of violence began on 6 March in Jableh, Latakia, when former regime loyalists attacked Syrian security forces and reportedly started forest fires, killing at least 16 people. This triggered clashes and reprisals from government forces and allied militias. During the clashes, General Ibrahim Huweija, former head of Assad’s air force intelligence and who is accused of crimes under Hafez al-Assad’s rule, was arrested. During the period of rising violence, over 600 civilians, mostly Alawites, were killed in Latakia, Tartous, and Hama, amid reports of excessive force, arbitrary killings, and forced disappearances. In response to reports of massacres, President Al-Sharaa pledged accountability and, on 10 March, formed an independent investigation committee with a 30-day deadline to report its findings.

Sources: Middle East Eye, Enab Baladi, Syrian Arab News Agency, Syrian Network for Human Rights, The New Arab, Middle East Monitor, Al Arabiya, Amnesty International

On 8 December, President Bashar al-Assad’s government was overthrown by armed opposition forces, ending 54 years of Assad family rule. The offensive, launched on 27 November and led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) alongside Turkish-backed factions, quickly seized control of key cities, including Aleppo, Homs, and Damascus. Assad fled to Moscow and the Baath Party announced the suspension of its activities. Thousands of people gathered in the streets in cities across the country to celebrate the fall of the regime. Approximately 2,000 prisoners were released from the Sednaya prison, a military facility infamous for reports of detention, torture, and executions during the civil war. HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has since emerged as Syria's de facto head of state, forming an interim government led by Prime Minister Mohamed al-Bashir and former ministers from the Syrian Salvation Government in Idlib. The new authorities have suspended the constitution and parliament, declaring a transition period until 1 March 2025.

Sources: Reuters, Reuters (2), Al Arabiya, The New Arab, The New York Times, Enab Baladi

Since Israel intensified its airstrikes on Lebanon on 23 September, approximately 100,000 people fled to Syria within just one week, seeking to escape the escalating conflict. Of those fleeing, 60 per cent are returning Syrian refugees, while the remaining 40 per cent are newly displaced Lebanese nationals, according to the UN refugee agency. Most of those fleeing, according to the UNHCR, were children under the age of eighteen, making up 60 per cent of the total arrivals, along with women and people with disabilities. On 29 September, the Syrian government waived the USD 100 entry fee for Syrian nationals. Some shelters were also reportedly set up for a limited number of Lebanese nationals. However, Syria remains insecure and returning refugees risk persecution by government forces and/or armed groups, as well as difficulties accessing basic services, housing, and employment.

Sources: UNHCR, UNFPA, Al Jazeera, Ministry of Finance of the Syrian Arab Republic, Syrian Network for Human Rights, International IDEA

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

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

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