Discussion on constitutional process, elections in Syria during dialogue session

The session, titled “New Syria and the Protection of Diversity”, was organized today at the Union of Intellectuals of Rojava Kurdistan Center in Qamishlo, with the participation of political and cultural elites, writers, and journalists.

The panel was led by Bêrwin Youssef, co-chair of the Kurdish delegation for negotiations with Damascus, Suleiman Oso, a member of the presidential body of the Kurdish National Council in Syria, and Gabriel Moushe, official of the Assyrian Democratic Organization. The discussion highlighted the constitutional process, parliamentary elections, the course of negotiations between North and East Syria and Damascus, and the optimal governance model for Syria’s future.

Gabriel Moushe explained that the transitional phase in Syria had faltered after political forces and Syrian components were excluded from the political process.

He said that the “constitutional declaration” completely contradicts Syria’s diversity, limiting participation to one approach, producing non-binding decisions without inviting political forces.

Moushe noted that the transitional government in Syria proved its failure in economic and administrative fields, stressing it was not a political government but rather one-party rule dominated by factionalism with the events in the coastal regions and Sweida as clear evidence.

He added that the transitional government relied on external actors and neglected the internal situation, stating: “The elections for the People’s Assembly are not real elections, the president himself appoints members of parliament. These are not elections in my opinion.”

Moushe emphasized: “We counted on legal reforms and engagement with Syrians to reconsider the constitutional declaration, and to form a national government representing all Syrians capable of managing the transitional phase through preparing for the election of a constituent assembly tasked with organizing comprehensive elections.”

He concluded: “Betting on the external forces failed. The solution lies in implementing Resolution 2254 with the participation of all Syrians without exception. The mistakes and setbacks of the transitional government, along with the deliberate exclusion of political forces and Syrian components, highlight practices of revenge, rooted in the absence of transitional justice.”

“These are not elections but appointments”

For his part, Suleiman Oso of the Kurdish National Council said the exclusion of political parties and Syrian components from the “constitutional declaration” after the March 10 agreement was a negative point that must be reconsidered.

Oso stressed that the coastal and Sweida events, among many other negative developments during this period, confirm that the policies pursued by the transitional government in Damascus have yielded no positive results.

Regarding the upcoming elections announced by the transitional government, Oso said: “These are not elections but appointments by the president, who will also appoint the remaining two-thirds. We had hoped Syria would witness free, democratic elections with genuine competition.”

He also underscored the outcomes of the Kurdish Unity Conference held on April 26, describing it as a national gain for the Kurdish people: “We reaffirm this unity, which is not directed against any neighboring state nor any component within Syria. We emphasize a Syria rich in its mosaic, solving the Kurdish issue within the framework of the Syrian state. No force can undermine this unity, and we remain committed to it and proud of it.”

Bêrwin Youssef, co-chair of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and of the Kurdish delegation for negotiations with Damascus, said: “The elections are being imposed against the will of Syrians, with the marginalization of North and East Syria, from the National Conference to the constitutional declaration, to the Victory Conference, and now to the elections.”

She affirmed that North and East Syria is an inseparable part of Syria, stating: “The elections are arbitrary, not democratic, and not electoral. It is a failed, unsuccessful process that strips Syrians of their will and poses risks to Syria’s future and the people’s aspirations.”

Youssef revealed that this step was taken without the will of North and East Syria, adding that they support fair and just elections but will not participate in imposed decisions against the people’s will.

Interventions and discussions during the session stressed the need to protect diversity in the region. Participants stated: “All evidence since the fall of the Ba’ath regime indicate that the transitional government is monopolizing power, sidelining political forces, and granting authority to armed factions whose practices raise major questions, including killings, looting, and abuses in Afrin, Girê Spî, and Serêkaniyê.”

They added that it is premature to speak of democracy, as the Syrian crisis has revealed the deep rift between the state and society. What Syria needs is not merely political change, but rather a constitution that guarantees anti-discrimination laws to ensure equality among citizens and lead the country to safety.

Participants asked: “Where is democracy, when states shield internationally wanted figures who came to power? We did not enter the transitional phase with transparency. To this day, when they speak of democracy, we don’t know what kind of democracy the West means, nor why it brought these figures to power.”

They emphasized that marginalization does not target North and East Syria alone but affects all Syrians. The appointment of officials is a mockery and an insult to the Syrian people known for their awareness, patriotism, and culture.

The participants concluded: “Secular leftist Arab Sunnis are a persecuted group and a primary target of the authorities. Without the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) , the people of this region would have faced the same fate as the Alawites and Druze.”

A-H

ANHA