Announcement of establishment of new political structure in Syria

Today, Wednesday, Syrian politician Haitham Manaa issued a public statement via video, announcing the formation of the "Syrian National Bloc."

The statement explained that the bloc’s establishment aims to “stop the reproduction of dictatorship in a new-old guise,” emphasizing that it is “a peaceful civil bloc seeking to achieve a fully equal citizenship state within a clear political and democratic pluralism, based on the separation of powers, the sovereignty of the people, and the principle of social justice.”

The statement highlighted the bloc’s rejection of any solution founded on sectarian or ethnic bases, calling instead for “the formation of a popular government and a constituent assembly to draft a constitution that guarantees state sovereignty and respect for human rights.”

Additionally, the statement underscored binding supra-constitutional principles, most notably the geographical and political unity of Syria, judicial independence, neutrality of military and security institutions, guarantee of cultural and linguistic rights for national components, implementation of transitional justice and reparations for victims, alongside full commitment to women’s rights and social justice.

According to the statement, the Syrian National Bloc includes Haitham Manaa, Tarek al-Ahmad, Ramia Ibrahim, Nasser Al-Ghazali, and Francis Tannous, representing political parties and civil society forces.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights noted that the choice of the name "National Bloc" recalls a similar political movement during the French Mandate period, which played a prominent role in the national struggle at that time. The bloc adopts several key principles, including modern decentralization as an option to overcome fragmentation and build a state capable of managing diversity. Its activities will be purely political, distancing itself from any military path.

This establishment comes shortly after the announcement of the formation of the Political Council for Central and Western Syria.

ANHA