New Changes in Syria’s Governance under Assad’s Regime

Syria’s current administration has taken several steps to erase the legacy of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Along with the dissolution of Assad’s political party, the Ba'ath Party, Syria’s constitution has also been abolished. The Syrian military and other armed groups are also on the list of entities set for dissolution.

Meanwhile, Syria’s interim government president, Ahmed al-Shara, has announced plans to convene a National Dialogue Conference with all stakeholders in the country. Based on the feedback from this conference, a strong and unified government will be formed.

In December last year, the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham ousted Bashar al-Assad and seized power. Under Assad's rule, the Ba'ath Party had held power for over 60 years. The new government has taken steps to bring changes to Assad’s era, which includes plans to cut one-third of government employees and privatize several state-run institutions.

Additionally, the new government claims that these measures are aimed at curbing government waste and corruption. However, employees who are losing their jobs have staged protests.

According to an Al Jazeera report, during a meeting in Damascus, Shara reassured that existing armed groups will also be given representation in the new Syria. Although no election date has yet been set, Shara stated that it may take up to four years to conduct a national census.

Finance Minister Mohammad Abazeid also mentioned that some government institutions will be shut down as they were primarily created for asset embezzlement. Currently, there are about 1.4 million government employees in the country, of which 900,000 are actively working, while the remaining 400,000 either have no work or are absent. As a result, several government employees are slated for layoff.

Furthermore, the new government has claimed that in order to tackle the ongoing economic crisis and form an effective government, 550,000 to 600,000 government employees will be required. This suggests that half of the current government workforce may face layoffs.