Report No.285: A New Syria in a ‘New Middle East’: Challenges and Opportunities for Democratization

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This report seeks to chart the political transition and the prospects for pluralist, if not democratic, rule in a situation that remains very much in flux since the fall of the Assad regime in Syria in December 2024. Profound changes in Syria, spearheaded by President (of the Transitional Phase) Ahmed Al-Sharaa and his government, unfold in a setting where issues of security and basic territorial sovereignty remain highly volatile, shaped by regional and international dynamics. Following analysis of the political transition, the civic space and pressing security issues, a set of recommendations suggests ways that civil society and international stakeholders can work towards greater inclusiveness and popular participation.