Speech by the Popular Base Office of the Syrian Future Movement at the central celebration of the first anniversary of the victory of the Syrian revolution and the fall of the Assad regime
Brothers and sisters:
We meet today on the threshold of the second year, and the end of the first year, after liberation and the fall of the Assad regime. Let us, in the Popular Base Office of the Syrian Future Movement, pose a crucial national and ethical question:
Where do the sons and daughters of the popular base stand today in the (new) Syria?
And what should we, as a political movement that believes national revival relies on the popular base to make a difference, offer them?
For us, the popular base is not merely a social classification, nor a transient or marginal category! Absolutely not.
They are the small-scale workers, laborers, farmers, artisans, professionals, small workshop owners, simple craftsmen, and others like them who constitute the broadest segment of Syrian society.
They are the hands that build, the shoulders that bear, and the pulse that sustains the cohesion of society in the darkest of times.
They are the segment that continued to work, toil, and sacrifice, while politics were made over their heads for decades without them having a place, a voice, or representation.
And as you know, since Hafez al-Assad came to power, a systematic project began to undermine the popular support base in Syria by dismantling the middle class, which was the backbone of social balance, the pillar of stability, and the fuel of development.
He impoverished them, marginalized them, and then excluded them from decision-making centers.
Then came the regime of the fugitive son, Assad, who completed what remained, pushing that class below the poverty line and stripping them of any economic, social, or political protection.
Thus, Syrian society has become a fragile society, without a backbone, after the productive class was reduced to an exhausted mass struggling for survival, not for development.
Today, a year after liberation, we have the right to ask clearly and honestly:
Have any programs been put in place to rebuild the middle class in Syria?
Brothers and sisters, there is no doubt that political stability begins with the social and economic stability of that class. And there is no doubt that the new era has taken positive steps during the past year, but it has not yet risen to the level of historical responsibility!
Rebuilding Syria begins with rebuilding the Syrian people, especially the members of the exhausted classes who have paid the price of war, corruption, and tyranny.
Here, we say clearly: the new political leadership must develop a comprehensive national plan that includes rebuilding the middle class, which is the safety valve for any stable state. This plan must rely on empowering farmers, workers, and professionals by supporting agricultural, industrial, and artisanal production, with legal and social guarantees that protect these groups from falling back into marginalization. This must be done in parallel with raising wages, living standards, and basic services.
This will ensure that this segment of society can participate in decision-making as partners, not as mere subjects, in building the new state.
We in the Popular Base Office of the Syrian Future Movement do not treat the popular base as mere numbers, but as the very essence of our national project. Our duty towards them is clear and direct: to unite and organize them, recognizing them as the core of Syrian society’s strength.
To inspire them and instill in them the confidence that they possess rights, a role, and a voice in decision-making.
To provide them with all possible support in the areas of training, awareness, and empowering their productive projects.
To write studies, articles, and scientific and political reports that reach those in positions of authority and influence, so that they may have a clear compass in formulating policies that affect the lives of this broad segment of society.
To understand their needs and work to transform them into applicable national programs.
To defend their rights in all national, political, and media forums.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We believe that the popular base is not subservient to anyone, nor is it a mere appendage to politics. Rather, it is the very foundation upon which the state rests, and it is the primary partner in the project of rebuilding the new Syria.
Even though the Assad regime has spent fifty years destroying this class, our duty today is to move forward in building and empowering it. It is the safety valve, the foundation of stability, and the greatest force capable of reviving this nation and propelling it toward a new horizon.
Peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you.
