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The Constitution of Syria delineates the basic function of that state's government. Among other things, it determines Syria's character to be Arab, democratic and republican. Further, in line with pan-Arab ideology, it describes the country as a region of the wider Arab world and its people as an integral part of the Arab nation.
Contents
History
Older versions of the constitution include one drafted by Ibrahim Hananu and subsequent Provisional Constitution of 25 April 1964. The previous version, in use until 27 February 2012, entrenched the power of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, its §8 describing the party as "the leading party in the society and the state", even if Syria was not, as is often believed, a one-party system in formal terms. Effective power in Syria rests with the President of the Republic (since 2000, Bashar al-Assad, reelected in 2007), who, according to §84 of the old constitution, was elected in an uncontested popular referendum on the proposal of the Syrian branch of the Baath Party.
The constitution guarantees equal rights and opportunities under the law, supplemented by labor laws which guarantee equal pay and maternity benefits for women.
2012 revision
During the 2011–2012 Syrian uprising, a new constitution was put to a referendum. Amongst other changes,
The referendum resulted in the adoption of the new constitution, which came into force on 27 February 2012.
Overview
This current constitution was a result of a constitutional referendum held in Syria on the 26th of February 2012. In response to the Syrian uprising, President Bashar al-Assad ordered a new constitution to be drafted. This constitutional referendum was not monitored by foreign observers.
The Constitution is divided into 6 parts (excluding the Introduction) which are called Chapters.