Following the recent overthrow of President Bashar Assad by insurgents in Syria, the ruling Baath party has announced a suspension of its activities, marking a dramatic shift for a party that has dominated political life for over sixty years.
Many high-ranking officials have gone underground or left the country entirely. In a significant gesture, the newly established leadership has repurposed the former party headquarters in Damascus into a registration center where former army and security personnel are surrendering their weapons and names.
There is a growing movement advocating for the official dissolution of the Arab Socialist Baath Party, which has been in power since 1963.
Numerous Syrians, including former party affiliates, express that the party’s governance has not only strained relationships with other Arab nations but has also exacerbated corruption that contributed to the country’s current dire state.
“I believe the party should not just dissolve; it deserves to be eradicated,” stated Mohammed Hussein Ali, a 64-year-old former state oil company employee and long-time party member who disassociated himself during Syria’s burgeoning anti-government protests in 2011—a conflict that escalated into civil war. Having remained in Syria, he expressed contentment over the end of Baath control.
An official from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group responsible for Assad’s ousting, indicated that there has been no definitive conclusion regarding the fate of the Baath party.
Speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the topic, the official mentioned that HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa had indicated that accountability measures might target individuals tied to the party for past crimes against the Syrian populace.
The Baath party, which aimed to establish unity among Arab nations, was co-founded in 1947 by Syrian nationalists Michel Aflaq and Salaheddine Bitar and once governed both Iraq and Syria.
Tensions arose between the Syrian branch under the leadership of Assad and his father Hafez, and the faction in Iraq led by Saddam Hussein, who was deposed following the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
In Syria, the Baath party became synonymous with the Assad leadership, which seized power in 1970, using the party and its pan-Arab ideology to maintain tight control over the nation. Over the years, many top military positions were filled by members from the ruling family’s Alawite sect, masking a sectarian dominance under the guise of nationalism.
A former soldier and long-term Baath member, Abdul-Rahman Ali, sharing his sentiment at the party headquarters, revealed his ignorance about its founders, mistakenly believing that Hafez Assad was the sole initiator.
“I feel liberated. We are no longer haunted by fear,” expressed the 43-year-old, highlighting the oppressive presence of the state’s security apparatus that was known for detaining and torturing critics of the regime.
In Syria, many individuals were compelled to join the Baath Vanguards, the organization’s youth wing, instilling Arab nationalist and socialist principles from an early age.
Securing government employment or gaining access to military and intelligence roles was often contingent upon party membership.
In an effort to address demands for political reform amidst the uprising in 2011, the constitution was amended to remove a clause designating the Baath party as the leading entity of the nation. However, in practice, the party continued to hold significant sway, retaining majority representation in parliamentary and government structures.
Another ex-soldier, who wished to be identified only as Ghadir out of concern for his safety as an Alawite, reflected on his background, stating joining the party was a necessity for obtaining a stable military position due to his family’s impoverished circumstances.
“You simply could not pursue any job unless you were affiliated with the Baath party,” he recalled.
While the majority appears to embrace the party’s decline, there are apprehensions that the Sunni majority now in charge might initiate a purge reminiscent of post-Saddam Iraq.
In Iraq, a de-Baathification committee was established primarily to eliminate Saddam loyalists from governmental and military positions, a process viewed by the Sunni community as an act of sectarian revenge by the ruling Shiite majority. This backlash significantly contributed to the emergence of extremist organizations such as al-Qaida and the Islamic State in Iraq.
A Baath party communiqué released shortly after Assad’s fall requested that all members surrender their arms and any state-owned vehicles to the new leadership.
On December 24, several former party members, including Mohammad Merhi, a retired army colonel, joined hundreds in handing over their weapons at the reformed headquarters.
Merhi argued that the party deserved a second chance, citing the virtue of its original principles that had been distorted over the years. Nevertheless, he expressed interest in possibly aligning with a different political party should Syria embark on a path toward a more democratic multiparty system.
As he surrendered his Soviet Makarov pistol, he received a document affirming his newfound freedom to navigate the country following his reconciliation with the new authorities.
“I aspire to reclaim my identity as a regular Syrian and to contribute toward building a renewed Syria,” he concluded.
