SDC rejects constitutional declaration, warns of authoritarianism
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) announced on Friday its complete rejection of the constitutional declaration issued by the transitional authorities in Damascus, stating that the draft “reproduces authoritarianism in a new form.”
In its statement, the SDC criticized the draft for entrenching centralized rule, granting the executive branch unchecked powers, restricting political activities, and freezing party formation—measures that hinder democratic transformation.
It added that the draft lacks clear mechanisms for transitional justice, further deepening the national crisis.
The SDC firmly rejected any attempt to reinstate dictatorship under the guise of a “transitional phase,” emphasizing that any constitutional declaration must stem from genuine national consensus rather than being imposed unilaterally.
It called for a comprehensive revision of the declaration to ensure a fair distribution of power, uphold political freedoms, recognize the rights of all Syrian communities, and adopt a decentralized democratic governance system with clear mechanisms for transitional justice.
On Thursday, Syrian Transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa ratified the constitutional declaration, which sets the transitional period at five years while retaining the country’s official name, “Syrian Arab Republic,” and designating Islam as the religion of the president—despite Syria’s diverse ethnic and religious composition.