Page 21 - Issue 70

Vol 1 - issue 70 ELITE

On the internal level, he clarified that Syria On the political level, Ambassador Az El-
could no longer be considered a unified Din addressed the recent constitutional
state in practice. Instead, it is effectively declaration, which he said merely
divided among three main powers: the reproduced authoritarian rule more
Syrian government, which controls
extensively. The declaration granted the
Damascus, Homs, Hama, Latakia, Tartus,
president sweeping powers and resulted in
and parts of the south; Turkey-backed
the formation of a government that
factions spread across Idlib, Afrin,
lacked genuine representation of Kurds,
Jarablus, Tal Abyad, and Ras al-Ain; And
Druze, or other key societal groups. He
the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces
asserted that the declaration was not the
(SDF), which hold sway over al-Hasakah,
Raqqa, and parts of Deir ez-Zor. product of a national dialogue or political
consensus.

On the economic front, he pointed out that In this context, he discussed the figure of
conditions have reached a catastrophic Ahmed Al-Shara, who had been proposed
state, with a collapse in public services, in some circles as a potential reformist
skyrocketing prices, and plummeting
alternative. The Ambassador raised a
purchasing power. He highlighted the
series of rhetorical questions, saying: “Is
unregulated expansion of imports—
he truly capable of evolving into a
particularly from Turkey, which flooded
unifying president for all Syrians? What is
the market with goods beyond the financial
his relationship with the factions? Can he
reach of ordinary Syrians. This came
control them? Is he accepted by them?
alongside mass layoffs, salary delays, and a
sharp drop in remittances from Syrians Are they willing to embrace him? Would
abroad, all of which exacerbated the they favour the idea of establishing a
economic recession and deepened the forward-looking Islamic state? Will they
public’s distrust in the state. remain pragmatic or turn against him?”
Institutionally, the Ambassador discussed These questions, he explained, highlight
the deterioration of the Syrian army,
the fragility of betting on individual
noting that it has lost its cohesion and
alternatives in the absence of a
effectiveness as a unified force. Many of its
comprehensive political and institutional
units have become localized militias with
project.
regional or external loyalties, while the
central command’s role has diminished,
rendering the army unable to secure the
state or preserve its unity.

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