The Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) has officially rejected the constitutional declaration issued by Syria's interim government, just days after an apparent agreement between the Kurdish-led forces and the Damascus authority. This announcement, broadcasted by the Hawar News Agency in March 14, 2025, marks a significant setback in efforts to unify Syria under the newly established interim government led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
In a strongly worded statement released today, the SDC, which serves as the political wing of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), condemned the constitutional declaration as reproducing "authoritarianism in a new form" and failing to address crucial national issues.
Key Objections Raised
The SDC's rejection comes despite the recent signing of a deal between the Kurdish-led SDF and the Damascus government to integrate northeastern Syria's forces into the country's new state institutions. The council outlined several fundamental concerns with the constitutional declaration:
- The document "enshrines central governance" and grants "the executive authority absolute powers"
- It restricts political action and freezes the formation of political parties
- It lacks "clear mechanisms for transitional justice"
- It fails to recognize the rights of all Syrian components
"We strongly reject any attempt to reproduce dictatorship under the cover of the transitional phase," the statement declared, emphasizing that any constitutional declaration must emerge from "genuine national consensus" rather than being unilaterally imposed.
Calls for Reformulation
The Syrian Democratic Council has called for a complete reformulation of the declaration to ensure:
- Fair distribution of power
- Guaranteed freedom of political action
- Recognition of rights for all Syrian components
- Adoption of a decentralized democratic system
- Establishment of clear transitional justice mechanisms
A Significant Setback for National Unity
This rejection represents a major blow to interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who was declared president for the transitional phase less than two months after leading the campaign that toppled long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad. The interim government had recently signed what was described as a "breakthrough deal" with the Kurdish-led forces, which was viewed as a major victory for Damascus in its quest to unify the country.
The temporary constitution, signed by Sharaa, had established a five-year transition period and reportedly guaranteed rights for women, freedom of expression, and justice for victims of the Assad regime. However, the SDC now claims the "National Dialogue Conference" that produced the document failed to impartially represent all social components and political entities.
Syria is a homeland for all its people, and we will not be satisfied with rebuilding the authoritarian regime," concluded the SDC statement, highlighting the continuing challenges facing Syria's path toward stability and democratic governance.
The United States had previously welcomed the announced agreement between Syrian interim authorities and the SDF to integrate the northeast into a unified Syria. This latest development casts doubt on the sustainability of that integration effort.
(NS)
Photo: Hawar News Agency