The Syrian Democratic Platform, made up of several parties, gatherings, currents and civil society organizations, believes that Presidential Decree No. 66 of 2025, although it appears to be a step towards reshaping constitutional life, lacks the necessary foundations to build a real parliament that reflects the popular will and establishes a transitional phase based on pluralism and inclusive representation.
Without clear and transparent criteria, it is feared that the selection of members of the council (parliament) based on the categories of “notables” and “intellectuals” will turn into a mechanism to reproduce a narrow elite that monopolizes the legislative decision and excludes large segments of Syrian society, especially those who have been affected by tyranny and corruption over the past decades.
Even more dangerous is the insistence on reducing the role of the next parliament to a legislative function only, a trend reminiscent of the experience of the Assad regime, which restricted political action to closed frameworks (such as the former “Qatari leadership”).
We believe that the parliament should be a key platform for political decision-making in the country, and we cannot accept any marginalization of its role or dwarfing it as a mere legislative body without a political soul.
The appointment of one-third of the members of the parliament by the president, without restrictions or controls to ensure the independence of the legislative authority, poses a clear threat to the principle of separation of powers and opens the door to directing or disrupting the parliament in a way that contradicts the principle of representing the general will of Syrians.
We note with concern the absence of any reference to the political parties that emerged from the Syrian revolution in this decree, which reflects a tendency to exclude the national opposition forces and limit the formation of the parliament to personalities chosen by top-down understandings that have nothing to do with political pluralism.
Hence, we call for opening the political process to all national components, and for their effective participation in building the legislative authority.
Equally important is the absence of a clear and strict timetable for the formation of the electoral sub-bodies, which raises fears of repeated delays or undeclared understandings that undermine the credibility of the entire process.
We also raise legitimate questions about the possibility of holding fair elections in areas that are partially outside the regime’s control, such as the Autonomous Administration areas or Sweida and some areas of the Sahel.
In addition, we believe that there is an unfair allocation in relation to the number of inhabitants, especially with regard to the eastern region, which was marginalized by the previous regime.
We also believe that the parliament is supposed to be representative of the people through representatives who represent them, and thus the number of representatives from each city or governorate is based on the population, in order to achieve justice in parliamentary representation, which is not addressed in the decree but is left open to options that we see as unfair.
Resolution 66 did not take into account the issue of allocating special seats for women and youth.
We wonder: If the electoral work is challenged or censored, which regulatory authority
or independent body will supervise the work of the committees?
In the Syrian Democratic Platform, we believe that establishing a real national parliament can only be done on the basis of fair representation, political participation, and the involvement of all Syrians in shaping their common future.
Hence, we emphasize the need to:
- Amending the mechanism for appointing members to ensure transparency and justice.
- Establishing a binding timetable for the formation of electoral bodies.
- Emphasize that parliament is not just a legislative authority, but an incubator for national political action.
- Ensure its independence from the executive branch and that it is not subject to politicized appointments.
Any political reform project that is not based on genuine popular participation and an open democratic space will remain a mere rearrangement of the façade without substantive change.
We emphasize that the road to the future Syria begins with a free, diverse, and strong parliament that legislates, holds people accountable, and participates in political decision-making.
Issued by the Syrian Democratic Platform
June 17, 2025
