Syrian constitution determines no deadline for prime minister to form his cabinet: legal expert
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The 2012 Syrian constitution did not obligate the prime minister, in charge of forming the cabinet in a specific period of time, to announce his ministers, a legal expert residing in Damascus, said on Tuesday.
“The 2012 constitution gave the President of the Republic very broad powers, especially the Article 97,” he added.
The Article 97 states that the President of the Republic assume naming the Prime Minister and his deputies, appoint the ministers and their deputies, accept their resignations and relieve them of their positions, according to the expert, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
On August 1, the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad issued a decree assigning the caretaker Prime Minister, Hussein Arnous to form the new Syrian cabinet.
The expert stated that, according to the previous article, the role of the president in charge of forming the cabinet does not go beyond being a “formal role”, without having any constitutional ability to impose any minister.
On August 1, a special source told North Press that the Syrian Presidential Palace intends to recycle the previous ministries, on the pretext of giving them the enough time and opportunity to implement their plans and promises they made a year ago.
The expert stressed that the role of the Prime Minister, according to the constitution, is limited to the supervisory role, according to the Article 108 of the constitution. He is the Prime Minister, not the head of the government.