List of political parties in Syria
Encyclopedia
This article lists political parties in Syria.
While not formally a single-party state
, all political life in Syria
is controlled by the Baath Party
through a political "front", much like in Communist countries. Article 8 of the constitution provides that "the Arab Socialist Baath Party leads society and the state". Since 1972, other parties that accept the leadership role of the Baath Party and support the government's socialist and Arab nationalist orientation have been allowed to operate under severe restrictions, as members of the National Progressive Front
. Most of them are essentially reduced to tools of the government. In 2005, the Syrian Social Nationalist Party
was licenced; it is the first legal political party
that is neither socialist nor Pan-Arab to be legalized. A considerable number of opposition parties operate outside the law, more or less clandestinely. While some socialist and liberal
opposition parties now enjoy a limited degree of toleration, Kurd
ish and Assyrian
parties remain more repressed, and the ban on religious parties is very strictly enforced.
While not formally a single-party state
Single-party state
A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of party system government in which a single political party forms the government and no other parties are permitted to run candidates for election...
, all political life in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
is controlled by the Baath Party
Baath Party
The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party was a political party mixing Arab nationalist and Arab socialist interests, opposed to Western imperialism, and calling for the renaissance or resurrection and unification of the Arab world into a single state. Ba'ath is also spelled Ba'th or Baath and means...
through a political "front", much like in Communist countries. Article 8 of the constitution provides that "the Arab Socialist Baath Party leads society and the state". Since 1972, other parties that accept the leadership role of the Baath Party and support the government's socialist and Arab nationalist orientation have been allowed to operate under severe restrictions, as members of the National Progressive Front
National Progressive Front
The National Progressive Front , established in 1972, is a coalition of political parties in Syria that support the socialist and Arab nationalist orientation of the government and accept the "leading role in society" of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party, .The Front was established by Syrian...
. Most of them are essentially reduced to tools of the government. In 2005, the Syrian Social Nationalist Party
Syrian Social Nationalist Party
The Syrian Social Nationalist Party , is a secular nationalist political party in Lebanon and Syria. It advocates the establishment of a Syrian nation state spanning the Fertile Crescent, including present day Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, the Palestinian Territories, Israel, Cyprus, Kuwait,...
was licenced; it is the first legal political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
that is neither socialist nor Pan-Arab to be legalized. A considerable number of opposition parties operate outside the law, more or less clandestinely. While some socialist and liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
opposition parties now enjoy a limited degree of toleration, Kurd
Kürd
Kürd or Kyurd or Kyurt may refer to:*Kürd Eldarbəyli, Azerbaijan*Kürd Mahrızlı, Azerbaijan*Kürd, Goychay, Azerbaijan*Kürd, Jalilabad, Azerbaijan*Kürd, Qabala, Azerbaijan*Qurdbayram, Azerbaijan...
ish and Assyrian
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
parties remain more repressed, and the ban on religious parties is very strictly enforced.
Political parties and organizations
- Licenced parties in the National Progressive FrontNational Progressive FrontThe National Progressive Front , established in 1972, is a coalition of political parties in Syria that support the socialist and Arab nationalist orientation of the government and accept the "leading role in society" of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party, .The Front was established by Syrian...
:- Arab Socialist Baath PartyBaath PartyThe Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party was a political party mixing Arab nationalist and Arab socialist interests, opposed to Western imperialism, and calling for the renaissance or resurrection and unification of the Arab world into a single state. Ba'ath is also spelled Ba'th or Baath and means...
(governing party) - Arab Socialist MovementArab Socialist MovementThe Arab Socialist Movement is a political party in Syria.It is an Arab socialist party, with roots in the peasant movement. It traces its roots back to the 1930s radical anti-feudal group led by Akram al-Hawrani, which merged with the Ba'th Party in 1953, only to withdraw again in 1963. It is...
- Arab Socialist UnionArab Socialist Union (Syria)The Arab Socialist Union Party of Syria is a Nasserist political party in Syria. ASU is led by Safwan al-Qudsi. The party was formed in 1973, following a split from the original ASU....
- Communist Party of Syria (Khalid BakdashKhalid BakdashKhalid Bakdash was the leader of the Syrian Communist Party from 1936 until his death. In 1954 Bakdash became the first member of a communist party to be elected to an Arab parliament. He has since been called the "dean of Arab communism."-Early life:Bakdash was a Damascus native of Kurdish origin...
faction) - Communist Party of Syria (Yusuf Faisal faction)
- Social Democratic UnionistsSocial Democratic UnionistsThe Social Democratic Unionists is a political party in Syria. It is part of the National Progressive Front of legally licenced parties which support the socialist and Arab nationalist orientation of the government and accept the leadership of the Ba'th Party. In the 22 April 2007 People's Council...
- Socialist UnionistsSocialist UnionistsThe Socialist Unionists is a Nasserist political party in Syria. The party was founded in 1961, through a split in the Baath Party. It is part of the National Progressive Front of legally permitted parties which support the socialist and Arab nationalist orientation of the government and accept...
- Syrian Social Nationalist PartySyrian Social Nationalist PartyThe Syrian Social Nationalist Party , is a secular nationalist political party in Lebanon and Syria. It advocates the establishment of a Syrian nation state spanning the Fertile Crescent, including present day Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, the Palestinian Territories, Israel, Cyprus, Kuwait,...
- Democratic Socialist Unionist PartyDemocratic Socialist Unionist PartyThe Democratic Socialist Unionist Party is a political party in Syria. It is part of the National Progressive Front of legally licenced parties which support the socialist and Arab nationalist orientation of the government and accept the leadership of the Ba'th Party. In the 22 April 2007 People's...
- Arabic Democratic Unionist PartyArabic Democratic Unionist PartyThe Arabic Democratic Unionist Party ) is a political party in Syria. It is part of the National Progressive Front of legally licenced parties which support the socialist and Arab nationalist orientation of the government and accept the leadership of the Ba'th Party. In the 22 April 2007 People's...
- National Vow MovementNational Vow MovementThe National Vow Movement ) is a nationalist political party in Syria. It is part of the National Progressive Front of legally licenced parties which support the socialist and Arab nationalist orientation of the government and accept the leadership of the Ba'th Party. In the 22 April 2007 People's...
- Arab Socialist Baath Party
- Clandestine parties operating in Syria or from exile include:
- Syrian Democratic People's PartySyrian Democratic People's PartyThe Syrian Democratic People's Party is a left-wing, democratic opposition party in Syria that is banned by the Syrian government....
- Arab Socialist Democratic Baath Party
- Muslim BrotherhoodMuslim BrotherhoodThe Society of the Muslim Brothers is the world's oldest and one of the largest Islamist parties, and is the largest political opposition organization in many Arab states. It was founded in 1928 in Egypt by the Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna and by the late 1940s had an...
(largest opposition group) - Reform Party of SyriaReform Party of SyriaThe Reform Party of Syria , or RPS is a political party committed to democracy and reform in Syria. It is based in the United States because the present Syrian government does not allow opposition political parties to form without permission. The party is made up of Syrians living in America,...
- Antiglobalization Activists in SyriaAntiglobalization Activists in SyriaAGAS - Antiglobalization Activists in Syria - is a Syrian-based collective of opponents to the neoliberal globalization. In Arabic the group uses the name al-Badil which means the alternative.AGAS was set up on January 1, 2003...
- United Islamic Front
- Kurdish Yekiti Party in Syria
- Kurdistan Democratic Party of Syria
- Kurdish Popular Union Party in Syria
- United Kurdish Democratic Party in Syria
- Kurdish Freedom Party
- Kurdish Future Movement in Syria
- Syrian Republican Party
- Assyrian Democratic Party
- Assyrian Democratic MovementAssyrian Democratic MovementThe Assyrian Democratic Movement also known as Zowaa is an ethnic Assyrian political party in Iraq, and is currently the only Assyrian-based political party to be voting in the Iraqi parliament....
- Assyrian Democratic OrganizationAssyrian Democratic OrganizationAssyrian Democratic Organization , also known as Mtakasto, founded in Syria in 1957, is the largest Assyrian political organization in Syria and Europe...
- Arab Communist PartyArab Communist PartyArab Communist Party was a communist party in Syria, emerging as a pro-Chinese split from the Syrian Communist Party. The party was founded in February 1968. The party was harshly repressed during the 1970s, and many of its activists were imprisoned. several of its cadres remained in Syrian jails....
- Democratic Arab Socialist Union
- Movement of the Freedom and the National Solidarity in Syria
- Christian Democratic Party of Syria
- Hizb ut-TahrirHizb ut-TahrirHizb ut-Tahrir is an international Sunni. pan-Islamic political organisation but keeps it open for all including shias,some of its beliefs are against sunni school of thought, whose goal is for all Muslim countries to unify as an Islamic state or caliphate ruled by Islamic law and with a caliph...
- Party of Modernity and Democracy for Syria
- National Salvation Front in SyriaNational Salvation Front in SyriaThe National Salvation Front in Syria is a political party founded and based in Belgium. It was founded by Abdul Halim Khaddam, former Vice President of Syria and interim President from June-July 2000, and nationalist, moderate islamist, liberal and social-democratic opposition factions in exile....
- Syrian Democratic Current
- Democratic National Liberation League of Syria
- Liberal Democratic Union
- National Democratic Front
- National PartyNational Party (Syria)The National Party was group that led the struggle against the Ottomans in Syria after the leadership of the revolution against the French mandate in 1926 make up the National Front The National Party was group that led the struggle against the Ottomans in Syria after the leadership of the...
- People's PartyPeople's Party (Syria)People's Party was a Syrian political party that was active during the 1950s and the early 1960s. The party was established in 1948 as the main opposition party to the National Party...
- Syrian Alentefah Party
- Movement for Justice and Development in SyriaMovement for Justice and Development in SyriaThe Movement for Justice and Development in Syria is a political movement founded and based in London, United Kingdom...
- Democratic Islah Party
- Syrian Democratic People's Party
See also
- Politics of SyriaPolitics of SyriaPolitics in the Syrian Arab Republic takes place in the framework of what is officially a parliamentary republic, but what is considered an authoritarian government where the power is in the hands of the President of Syria, his family, the ruling Ba'ath Party, and the Alawi sect.The two presidents...
- List of political parties by country