23 May 2025
From Syrian Revolution to Constitutional Ambiguity
The remarkable yet tragic victory of the Syrian revolution reached its turning point on December 7, 2024. Unlike the coups of the 1950s and 60s, whose leaders swiftly sought legal legitimacy, the current de facto ruler, Ahmad al-Sharaa, has declared a five-year transitional period under a temporary Constitutional Declaration. While it formally guarantees equality, the Declaration omits fundamental democratic safeguards and fails to ensure the separation of powers—entrenching a system of self-referential authority and executive dominance that mirrors the authoritarian dynamics of the past. Continue reading >>
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13 December 2024
“It looks more like a managed transition than a revolution.”
Five Questions to Michael Meyer-Resende Continue reading >>
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03 June 2021
From Denmark to Damascus
In recent weeks, Denmark made international headlines with its refusal to extend residence permits for Syrian subsidiary protection holders in Denmark from the Damascus province. Denmark’s emergence as the first state in Europe to end the protection of Syrians on the basis of improved conditions in the wider Damascus area is the result of a self-described ‘paradigm shift’ in Danish refugee policy dating back to 2015. Continue reading >>
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04 December 2015