Kassioun Editorial 1287: The Electoral System is The Cornerstone

The essential functions of the desired People’s Assembly are as follows:

1- To genuinely serve as the assembly of the Syrian people—that is, to be a true representative of the Syrian people, transcending religious, sectarian, and ethnic affiliations in favor of an inclusive national identity.

2- To promote and strengthen the unity of the country, both its land and its people.

3- To address the country’s real challenges, not only through its legislative role but also through a clear political function that enables it to oversee the executive authorities and hold them accountable on behalf of, and in the interests of, the Syrian people.

The Previous Situation

During the rule of Bashar al-Assad and his father, the “People’s Assembly” was largely symbolic. It possessed no real powers and did not genuinely represent the people. Instead, it primarily represented the interests of the state apparatus—particularly the security services—as well as powerful financial elites.

The electoral system in place was the cornerstone of depriving the people of genuine representation. This was achieved by designating each governorate as an electoral district and by adopting a majoritarian electoral system. These two features—the governorate-based electoral district and the winner-takes-all system—enabled the state apparatus and financial elites to exercise complete control over the Assembly, suppress political life, and transform the Assembly from a genuine parliament into a council of notables, indirectly appointed by the executive authority and financial elites.

The Desired Situation

Achieving genuine representation of the Syrian people—one that can foster national unity and revitalize political life—requires, above all, an electoral system that treats the entire country as a single electoral district and adopts proportional representation. Such a system would shift competition away from “names and faces” toward comprehensive national political, socioeconomic, and democratic programs, with electoral competition taking place among lists and coalitions based on shared platforms. It would restore healthy and constructive political and party life to the country and bring an end to the political stagnation that has been imposed upon Syria over successive decades.

Moving from the previous system to the desired one is not a matter of political preference or luxury that the country may choose to adopt or ignore. At a time when the unity of the country and its people faces direct threats, the electoral system—as part of an integrated constitutional and legal framework—constitutes the fundamental building block for establishing the three branches of government and defining their relationship with one another. It is equally central to shaping the social contract as a whole, the relationship between citizens and public authorities, and ultimately the very nature of the state itself.

A genuine transition toward government of the people, by the people, and for the people has become the only safe path to rescuing the country from mounting external pressures and worsening internal crises—socioeconomic, security, and political. This requires approaching the issue with the highest degree of seriousness and national responsibility, while acting within the tight timeframes imposed by rapidly evolving realities at the domestic, regional, and international levels.

Within this framework, the proposal for a fully empowered National Unity Government, together with a comprehensive General National Conference bringing together Syria’s diverse political and social forces, remains the essential starting point for unifying the Syrian people, drafting a new social contract—including a new electoral system—and ultimately achieving the threefold objective:

Power to the people, dignity for the nation, and prosperity for all!

(النسخة العربية)