"Future Syria Party calls for democratic pluralism in Syria"

Mohammad Bayram, a member of the General Council of the Future Syria Party, stated that “since the establishment of Syria in its current geographical form following the Sykes–Picot Agreement, the country has witnessed political diversity reflecting its multiple components and intellectual orientations. However, this political life was obliterated during the period of the union between Syria and Egypt through the dissolution of political parties. Attempts to revive it resumed after the separation, but the Baath Party’s rise to power in 1963 opened the door wide to denial beginning with renaming the country the Syrian Arab Republic, in a clear indication of denying the existence of other ethnicities and components.”

Bayram explained that during nearly six decades in power, the Baath Party focused on the concept of “one color, one party, one ideology, and one language,” steering toward chauvinism and ideological extremism. It established what was called the “National Progressive Front,” which became the other face of the Baath Party. This Front, he noted, often played a more active role than Baathists themselves its official newspapers even defended the Baath government more vigorously than the Baath Party’s own press.

The National Progressive Front was founded on March 7, 1972, under the leadership of the Baath Party, and included twelve parties whose activities were sanctioned by the Baath because they aligned with its agenda and interests. The Front was used to falsify the image of political pluralism and to provide a superficial legitimacy to the regime’s decisions, while the member parties existed merely in form, without substance or real influence.

Among the most prominent parties in the Front at that time were: the Syrian Communist Party, the Socialist Unionist Party, the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, the Arab Socialist Union, and the Arab Socialist Movement. Both Hafez al-Assad and later Bashar al-Assad held the position of Secretary-General of the National Progressive Front. The Front’s charter stipulated that Baath Party members must constitute (50% + 1) that is, a majority of its leadership seats, ensuring full control by the Baath Party.

Bayram pointed out that the Syrian people still suffer from the severe repercussions of the Baath Party’s long-standing rule and its mindset of denial, which turned Syria’s conflict into one serving a single party and ruling authority. He stressed that the divisions, fragmentation, and foreign dependency Syrians experience today are a direct result of Baathist ideology, which fractured society and sowed discord among its people.

He further explained that among the disastrous effects of Baathist rule were the deification of the ruler, the defense of his mistakes, the spread of ethnic and sectarian fanaticism, and the alienation of Syrians from one another—to the point that they became intolerant of opposing opinions and lost trust among themselves. This, he said, drove many to seek refuge in foreign powers.

Regarding the future of Syria, Bayram affirmed that “the existence of multiple political parties has become a national necessity for Syria’s future. It is a healthy condition that reflects the diversity of Syrian society and allows for genuine participation in decision-making at both the domestic and international levels.” He emphasized that the country’s diversity requires democratic, decentralized pluralism that guarantees the rights of all components to manage the nation’s decisions and resources.

Bayram concluded by stressing that the Syria of the future cannot be governed by a single party or faction, for political pluralism is what strengthens competition to serve the people better and reflects the true essence of Syrian society.

ANHA