Ba'ath Party (Syrian-led faction)
Encyclopedia
The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party is a Ba'athist
political party
, with branches across the Arab world
. The party emerged out of a split in the original Ba'ath Party in 1966. The party leads the government in Syria
. For many years, the party was led by the Syrian president Hafiz al-Assad. Since 2000, leadership is shared between his son Bashar al-Assad
(as head of the Syrian regional organization) and Abdullah al-Ahmar
(as head of the, pan-Arab, national organization).
, which means it supports Arab nationalism
, Arab socialism
, and Pan-Arabism
.
The original Ba'ath Party was founded in the 1940s. In 1966 a military coup d'état
in Syria against the historical party leadership of Michel Aflaq
and Salah Bitar led to the emergence of two separate Ba'ath parties, one based in Syria and one based in Iraq. Each of these two parties maintains its own (pan-Arab) National Command and regional structures.
The division in the original Ba'ath Party, between the National Command led by Michel Aflaq
and the 'regionalists' in the Syrian party organization stemmed from the break-up of the United Arab Republic
. Aflaq had sought to control the regionalist elements, an incoherent grouping led by figures such as Fa'iz al-Jasim, Yusuf Zuayyin, Munir al-Abdallah and Ibrahim Makhus. The regionalists hailed from towns in the Syrian periphery, where the dissolution of local Ba'ath Party structures never really took place under the years of union with Nasser. Aflaq, on the other side, had the support of most of the non-Syrian National Command members (13 at the time).
The Ba'ath Party had seized power in Syria in 1963. Jadid served as the Secretary of the Regional Command of the party in Syria. General Amin Hafiz
removed Jadid as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, resulting in that Jadid concentrated his powers in the Syrian party apparatus instead. On December 21, 1965 the National Command dissolved the Syrian Regional Command. On February 18, 1966 Aflaq denounced the Jadid group as a 'regional separatist' deviation. On February 23, 1966 a coup d'état took place, the bloodiest Syria had experienced since 1949. Jadid and the Syrian Regional Command, backed up by army units under their control, seized power. Other leaders of the coup were Hafiz al-Assad, an Alawite general, and Nureddin al-Atassi
. The new rulers of Syria declared the old National Command of the party expelled. Party stalwarths Aflaq and Bitar were soon released from jail, though, and went into exile. Effectively, after 1966, two separate Ba'ath Party National Commands existed, one based in Syria and one based in Iraq. The two parties has, since then, quarelled over which National Command is the genuine one.
In Syria Ba'athist civilian politicians were put in the leadership of state institutions, with Atassi as president, Yusuf Zuayyin as Prime Minister and Ibrahim Makhus as Minister for Foreign Affairs. Jadid did not formally join the government, keen to disperse suspicions against a military dictatorship. During an attempted coup in September 1966, Jadid formed 'Workers Battalions' to defend the regime, inspired by the Red Guards
of the People's Republic of China
. The ninth national party congress (counting the congresses of the pre-split Ba'ath Party as theirs) was held September 25–29, 1966, in Damascus.
The tenth national party congress and a (Syrian) regional party congresses were held in October 1968. Al-Assad was marginalized in both of them. In response, al-Assad decided to boycott the Syrian Regional Command. In February 1969 al-Assad and his brother Rifaat al-Assad
took control over the Damascus
and Aleppo
radio stations, the offices of al-Ba'ath and at-Thawra and Alawite
-dominated party organizations in northern Syria, ousting the Jadid supporters. Egyptian, Algerian and Iraqi diplomats came to Damascus to negotiate an agreement between the two factions. In March 1969 al-Assad and Jadid reached a compromise, resulting in the formation of a new cabinet in May 1969.
The 1970 intervention in Jordan, as 200 Palestine Liberation Army tanks based in Syria had been sent into Jordan to assist the PLO in response to the Black September
onslaught, deepened the divisions in the party. Jadid's group called for clear support for the PLO, whilst al-Assad had blocked usage of Syrian Air Force
to back the PLA intervention.
During two weeks, the tenth extraordinary national party congress met in Damascus. The congress, titled an extraordinary session of National Command, ended on November 12, 1970. The congress reaffirmed Jadid's control over the party. Disciplinary measures were launched against al-Assad and the Chief of Staff Major General Mustafa Tlas. The following day, army units arrested Jadid, Zuayyin and Atassi. On November 16, 1970 the Syrian Regional Command issued a statement, indicating a shift of power within the party and the formation of a National Front. On November 19, 1970 the Syrian Regional Command designated Al-Assad as Prime and Defense minister and Ahmad al-Khatib
as acting head of state. Al-Assad appointed a new government consisting of pro-al-Assad Ba'athists, Nasserists, socialists, communists and independents. This process became known as the 'Correction Movement'.
A 173 member parliament (People's Council) was set up in February 1971, with 87 seats allocated to the party. In March 1971 a regional party congress was held, which elected a 21-member Regional Command led by al-Assad. Al-Assad was elected President of Syria in a referendum.
The highest organ of the party is the party congress. The congress elects a general secretary and a National Command. Under the National Command there are various Regional Commands, for each state where the party operates. The regions are then divided into branches, which are divided into companies. A branch consists of two or more companies. A company is constituted by three to seven cells. Each cell has between three and seven members.
In theory, the National Command of the party would be the embryonic government for the entire Arab nation. The body, 21 members, is made up by approximately half Syrians and half non-Syrians. In practice the Syrian National Command is the more powerful institution inside the party. Although formally superior, it is the Syrian Regional Command that is the real political leadership in Syria. The power of the National Command has become more symbolic than real. A seat in National Command has become a sinecure, an honourary post given to Syrian politicians as they retire from active political life. Hafiz al-Assad rarely had time to attend to the National Command meetings, instead delegating his vice president for party affairs Zuhayr Mashariqa and sometimes Abd al-Halim Khaddam to represent him to the National Command members. In theory, the National Command could conduct proselytism and form new Regional Commands across the Arab world and support weaker Regional Commands, but Syrian policymakers have curtailed that capacity.
The party is financed through the Syrian state treasury. In 1983 80% of its 129 million Syrian pound
budget came as an allowance from the state.
The party has dominated the Syrian parliament since 1963. The party leads the National Progressive Front
, and in all elections conducted under this constitution the party has obtained the majority of the 167 parliamentary seats reserved for the Front. In the 2003 parliamentary election, the party secured 135 of the seats.
As of the mid-2000s, the party membership in Syria was estimated at 800,000. Key party organs in Syria are al-Ba'ath and at-Thawra.
The Syrian Regional Command of the party has 21 members. As of 1987 the Syrian Regional Command consisted of the 3 vice presidents of the Syrian Arab Republic, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, the parliamentary speaker, the Aleppo and Hama
party secretaries as well as the heads of the party bureaus for trade union
s, economy and higher education.
The seventh Syrian regional party congress was held in January 1980. The congress created a new institution, the Central Committee, to act as an intermediary body between the Regional Command and local branches. The Central Committee had 75 members. The eight regional congress decided to expand the Central Committee to 95 members. The Central Committee was charged with electing the Regional Command, which previously had been done by the regional congress delegates. The Central Committee represents the regional congress when the congress is not in session.
The party has 19 branches in Syria; one in each of the provinces (13), one in Damascus, one in Aleppo and one at each of the four universities. In most cases the governor of a province, police chief, mayor and other local dignitaries make up the Branch Command. However, the Branch Command Secretary and other executive positions are filled by party whole-timers.
The Syrian regional party congress is held every four years. Whilst being a strictly orchestrated affair, the regional congress has been a venue for actual debates on current affairs. At the 1985 regional congress criticism against corruption and economic stagnation were expressed, albeit candidly. 771 branch delegates assisted this congress.
The party has a parallel structure in the Syrian armed forces. The military and civilian sectors only meet at the regional level, as military sector is represented in the Regional Command and sends delegates to regional congresses. The military sector is divided into branches, operating at battalion level. The head of a military party branch is called a tawjihi ('Guide').
Party has an Inspection and Control Committee, instituted in 1980. The Party Security Law passed in 1979, criminalizing 'deviations' inside the party and attacks on the party.
The party has three bureaus, for coordinating work in mass organizations; the Popular Organizations Bureau (coordinating the People's Army militia, the Revolution Youth Union
, Students Union and the General Union of Syrian Women
), the Workers Bureau (coordinating the General Federation of Trade Unions) and the Peasants Bureau (coordinating the Peasants Federation). Children joined the Vanguards, an organization for grade-school boys and girls. Vanguards attend paramilitary summer camps, operated by the armed forces. In the mid-1970s party ran a mass campaign for mobilization of peasants into the Peasants Federation.
The party has its own system of political education, including the Higher Political Institute (a graduate school of the University of Damascus
).
In mid-2005 Abdul Halim Khaddam
resigned as National Command and Central Committee member.
The party labelled the Saddam regime as 'fascist'. When the Iran-Iraq war
broke out in 1980, the party took part in forming the Iraqi Patriotic and Democratic Front, together with the Iraqi Communist Party
, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
and the Kurdish Socialist Party. The front vowed to overthrow the Saddam regime.
In the 1980s, the party began cooperating with SCIRI
. The party organized the first general conference of Iraqi opposition groups in Damascus in 1989. It also participated in a conference of Iraqi opposition groups in Beirut in 1991. As of 1999, Radhi was reported to stay in the United Kingdom
. The party was one of the three main groups (along with the Iraqi Communist Party and the Dawa Party) is forming the Coalition of Iraqi National Forces. The Coalition was opposed to the Saddam regime as well as U.S. military intervention. During the run-up to the 2003 Iraq War, the party publicly denounced U.S. involvement in the organizing of Iraqi dissidents in exile.
After the fall of the Saddam regime, some confusion arose whether the de-Baathification law also applied to the party. In 2008 Radhi requested that the party be allowed to function inside Iraq and join the process of reconciliation. In response the Iraqi government declared that they viewed the 'Qotr al-Iraq' as distinct from 'Saddam's Ba'ath', as 'Qotr al-Iraq' had participated in the opposition conferences during the Saddam years. As of 2009, the Iraqi regional organization is reportedly still based in Syria.
, the party had an armed militia, the Assad Battalion. The party joined forces with Kamal Jumblatt
's Progressive Socialist Party
in organizing the National Democratic Movement, seeking to abolish the confessional state. The National Democratic Movement was later superseded by the National Democratic Front, in which the party participated. The party organized resistance against Israeli forces in Lebanon. In July 1987 it took part in forming yet another front, the Unification and Liberation Front.
In the 2009 parliamentary election
, the party won two seats as part of the March 8 Alliance
. The parliamentarians of the party are Assem Qanso and Qassem Hashem.
, was a member of the National Command, at least from 1975 onwards. As of 1976, Palestinian Samir al-Attari is member of the National Command.
Up to 1970, as-Saiqa remained under the control of Jadid.
Zuhayr Muhsin is Palestinian who is a member of the Ba'ath Party's National Command.
The party held its third regional congress in Khartoum
on February 5–6, 2009. The congress elected at-Tijani Mustafa Yassin as regional secretary, an 11-member Regional Command and a 23-member Central Committee. The congress stated that the party sought cooperation with the National Congress Party
for the sake of forming a national front. The party staunchly opposed independence of South Sudan
.
in Yemen originates back to the 1950s. The party worked underground until 1990. It obtained official registration as the 'Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party' on December 31, 1995 (whilst the other group had to register as the 'National Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party'). The regional secretary of the party in Yemen is Dr. Mahmoud Abdul-Wahab Abdul-Hamid. The party contested the 1993 parliamentary election
, winning seven seats. In the 1997
and 2003 parliamentary elections
, the party won two seats. In 2003, the party got 0.66% of the national vote. The party supported Ali Abdullah Saleh
in the 1999 presidential election
.
In December 2008, the party and the National Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party agreed to coordinate their political activities.
In November 2010 one of the key leaders of the party in Yemen, Ali Ahmad Nasser al-Dhahab
(assistant secretary of the Regional Command and Member of Parliament since 1993), died.
Ba'athism
Ba'athism is an Arab nationalist ideology that promotes the development and creation of an Arab nation through the leadership of a vanguard party over a progressive revolutionary state. The ideology is officially based on the theories of Zaki al-Arsuzi , Michel Aflaq and Salah al-Din al-Bitar...
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...
, with branches across the Arab world
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
. The party emerged out of a split in the original Ba'ath Party in 1966. The party leads the government 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....
. For many years, the party was led by the Syrian president Hafiz al-Assad. Since 2000, leadership is shared between his son Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad is the President of Syria and Regional Secretary of the Ba'ath Party. His father Hafez al-Assad ruled Syria for 29 years until his death in 2000. Al-Assad was elected in 2000, re-elected in 2007, unopposed each time.- Early Life :...
(as head of the Syrian regional organization) and Abdullah al-Ahmar
Abdullah al-Ahmar
Abdullah Al-Ahmar is a Syrian politician and prominent member of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party. He is the deputy general secretary of the National Command of the party....
(as head of the, pan-Arab, national organization).
Ideology
The party's ideology is Ba'athismBa'athism
Ba'athism is an Arab nationalist ideology that promotes the development and creation of an Arab nation through the leadership of a vanguard party over a progressive revolutionary state. The ideology is officially based on the theories of Zaki al-Arsuzi , Michel Aflaq and Salah al-Din al-Bitar...
, which means it supports Arab nationalism
Arab nationalism
Arab nationalism is a nationalist ideology celebrating the glories of Arab civilization, the language and literature of the Arabs, calling for rejuvenation and political union in the Arab world...
, Arab socialism
Arab socialism
Arab socialism is a political ideology based on an amalgamation of Pan-Arabism and socialism. Arab socialism is distinct from the much broader tradition of socialist thought in the Arab world, which predates Arab socialism by as much as fifty years...
, and Pan-Arabism
Pan-Arabism
Pan-Arabism is an ideology espousing the unification--or, sometimes, close cooperation and solidarity against perceived enemies of the Arabs--of the countries of the Arab world, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Arabian Sea. It is closely connected to Arab nationalism, which asserts that the Arabs...
.
Leadership
Hafiz al-Assad became the secretary of the Syrian Regional Command of the party in 1970, and general secretary of the party in 1970. The position of general secretary of the national command is still, officially, held by Hafiz al-Assad. Bashar al-Assad has been the regional secretary of the party in Syria since 2000. Abdullah al-Ahmar serves the assistant general of the secretary of the national command, a post he has held since the 1970s.1966 split
Since 1966 there are two Ba'ath Parties, one based in Syria and one based in Iraq,The original Ba'ath Party was founded in the 1940s. In 1966 a military coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
in Syria against the historical party leadership of Michel Aflaq
Michel Aflaq
Michel Aflaq was a Syrian philosopher, who is credited with being the ideological founder of ba'athism, a hybrid of Arab nationalism and Arab socialism.-Early life:...
and Salah Bitar led to the emergence of two separate Ba'ath parties, one based in Syria and one based in Iraq. Each of these two parties maintains its own (pan-Arab) National Command and regional structures.
The division in the original Ba'ath Party, between the National Command led by Michel Aflaq
Michel Aflaq
Michel Aflaq was a Syrian philosopher, who is credited with being the ideological founder of ba'athism, a hybrid of Arab nationalism and Arab socialism.-Early life:...
and the 'regionalists' in the Syrian party organization stemmed from the break-up of the United Arab Republic
United Arab Republic
The United Arab Republic , often abbreviated as the U.A.R., was a sovereign union between Egypt and Syria. The union began in 1958 and existed until 1961, when Syria seceded from the union. Egypt continued to be known officially as the "United Arab Republic" until 1971. The President was Gamal...
. Aflaq had sought to control the regionalist elements, an incoherent grouping led by figures such as Fa'iz al-Jasim, Yusuf Zuayyin, Munir al-Abdallah and Ibrahim Makhus. The regionalists hailed from towns in the Syrian periphery, where the dissolution of local Ba'ath Party structures never really took place under the years of union with Nasser. Aflaq, on the other side, had the support of most of the non-Syrian National Command members (13 at the time).
The Ba'ath Party had seized power in Syria in 1963. Jadid served as the Secretary of the Regional Command of the party in Syria. General Amin Hafiz
Amin Hafiz
Amin al-Hafiz was a Syrian politician, general and member of the Ba'th Party.-Early life:Al-Hafiz was born in the city of Aleppo....
removed Jadid as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, resulting in that Jadid concentrated his powers in the Syrian party apparatus instead. On December 21, 1965 the National Command dissolved the Syrian Regional Command. On February 18, 1966 Aflaq denounced the Jadid group as a 'regional separatist' deviation. On February 23, 1966 a coup d'état took place, the bloodiest Syria had experienced since 1949. Jadid and the Syrian Regional Command, backed up by army units under their control, seized power. Other leaders of the coup were Hafiz al-Assad, an Alawite general, and Nureddin al-Atassi
Nureddin al-Atassi
Noureddin Mohammed Ali al-Atassi was President of Syria from February 1966 to November 1970...
. The new rulers of Syria declared the old National Command of the party expelled. Party stalwarths Aflaq and Bitar were soon released from jail, though, and went into exile. Effectively, after 1966, two separate Ba'ath Party National Commands existed, one based in Syria and one based in Iraq. The two parties has, since then, quarelled over which National Command is the genuine one.
In Syria Ba'athist civilian politicians were put in the leadership of state institutions, with Atassi as president, Yusuf Zuayyin as Prime Minister and Ibrahim Makhus as Minister for Foreign Affairs. Jadid did not formally join the government, keen to disperse suspicions against a military dictatorship. During an attempted coup in September 1966, Jadid formed 'Workers Battalions' to defend the regime, inspired by the Red Guards
Red Guards (China)
Red Guards were a mass movement of civilians, mostly students and other young people in the People's Republic of China , who were mobilized by Mao Zedong in 1966 and 1967, during the Cultural Revolution.-Origins:...
of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. The ninth national party congress (counting the congresses of the pre-split Ba'ath Party as theirs) was held September 25–29, 1966, in Damascus.
Rise of al-Assad
The defeat in the 1967 war discredited the Ba'athist leadership, in particular the faction of Jadid, Atassi, Zuayyin and Makhus. Thus, the 1967 defeat enabled al-Assad to emerge as a more powerful figure. In late 1968 an open split emerged between Jadid and al-Assad. Al-Assad represented the ideologically more moderate military wing of the party. However, the more radical Jadid had a strong backing in the party ranks. The ninth extraordinary national congress was held in early September 1967 in Damascus.The tenth national party congress and a (Syrian) regional party congresses were held in October 1968. Al-Assad was marginalized in both of them. In response, al-Assad decided to boycott the Syrian Regional Command. In February 1969 al-Assad and his brother Rifaat al-Assad
Rifaat al-Assad
Rifaat al-Assad is the younger brother of the former President of Syria, Hafez al-Assad, and the uncle of the current President Bashar al-Assad, all of whom come from the minority Alawite Muslim sect. He was born in the village of Qardaha, near Lattakia in western Syria. He is perhaps best known...
took control over the Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
and Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
radio stations, the offices of al-Ba'ath and at-Thawra and Alawite
Alawite
The Alawis, also known as Alawites, Nusayris and Ansaris are a prominent mystical and syncretic religious group centred in Syria who are a branch of Shia Islam.-Etymology:...
-dominated party organizations in northern Syria, ousting the Jadid supporters. Egyptian, Algerian and Iraqi diplomats came to Damascus to negotiate an agreement between the two factions. In March 1969 al-Assad and Jadid reached a compromise, resulting in the formation of a new cabinet in May 1969.
The 1970 intervention in Jordan, as 200 Palestine Liberation Army tanks based in Syria had been sent into Jordan to assist the PLO in response to the Black September
Black September
The expression Black September may refer to:* Black September in Jordan, the conflict between Palestinian guerrilla organizations and King Hussein of Jordan that began in September 1970 and ended in July 1971 with the expulsion of the PLO to Lebanon....
onslaught, deepened the divisions in the party. Jadid's group called for clear support for the PLO, whilst al-Assad had blocked usage of Syrian Air Force
Syrian Air Force
The Syrian Air Force is the Aviation branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. It was established in 1948.-History:The end of World War II led to a withdrawal of the United Kingdom and France from the Middle East, and this included a withdrawal from Syria...
to back the PLA intervention.
During two weeks, the tenth extraordinary national party congress met in Damascus. The congress, titled an extraordinary session of National Command, ended on November 12, 1970. The congress reaffirmed Jadid's control over the party. Disciplinary measures were launched against al-Assad and the Chief of Staff Major General Mustafa Tlas. The following day, army units arrested Jadid, Zuayyin and Atassi. On November 16, 1970 the Syrian Regional Command issued a statement, indicating a shift of power within the party and the formation of a National Front. On November 19, 1970 the Syrian Regional Command designated Al-Assad as Prime and Defense minister and Ahmad al-Khatib
Ahmad al-Khatib
Ahmad Hasan al-Khatib was a Syrian politician. He was a ceremonial head of state of Syria appointed by Hafez al-Assad to replace the ousted president Nureddin al-Atassi. al-Khatib was a civilian member of the ruling Baath party and served as president for only four months. His position was...
as acting head of state. Al-Assad appointed a new government consisting of pro-al-Assad Ba'athists, Nasserists, socialists, communists and independents. This process became known as the 'Correction Movement'.
A 173 member parliament (People's Council) was set up in February 1971, with 87 seats allocated to the party. In March 1971 a regional party congress was held, which elected a 21-member Regional Command led by al-Assad. Al-Assad was elected President of Syria in a referendum.
Later developments
The eleventh national party congress was held in Damascus in August 1971. The twelfth national party congress was held in Damascus in July 1975. The thirteenth (and as of 2011, last) national congress was held in Damascus between July 27 and August 2, 1980.Organization
The party is organized along Leninist lines, a policy stemming back to Aflaq and Bitar's leadership before the split. A person seeking party membership has to be nominated by another member, and then pass through a two-year probation period. Compared to the high level of secrecy in the early Ba'athist movement, party membership rules were somewhat softened under al-Assad. In 1987 the party had 50,000 members in Syria, with another 200,000 candidate members on probation.The highest organ of the party is the party congress. The congress elects a general secretary and a National Command. Under the National Command there are various Regional Commands, for each state where the party operates. The regions are then divided into branches, which are divided into companies. A branch consists of two or more companies. A company is constituted by three to seven cells. Each cell has between three and seven members.
In theory, the National Command of the party would be the embryonic government for the entire Arab nation. The body, 21 members, is made up by approximately half Syrians and half non-Syrians. In practice the Syrian National Command is the more powerful institution inside the party. Although formally superior, it is the Syrian Regional Command that is the real political leadership in Syria. The power of the National Command has become more symbolic than real. A seat in National Command has become a sinecure, an honourary post given to Syrian politicians as they retire from active political life. Hafiz al-Assad rarely had time to attend to the National Command meetings, instead delegating his vice president for party affairs Zuhayr Mashariqa and sometimes Abd al-Halim Khaddam to represent him to the National Command members. In theory, the National Command could conduct proselytism and form new Regional Commands across the Arab world and support weaker Regional Commands, but Syrian policymakers have curtailed that capacity.
The party is financed through the Syrian state treasury. In 1983 80% of its 129 million Syrian pound
Syrian pound
-Use of 10 Syrian pound coins in Norway:The shape of the 10 Syrian pound coin has been found to so resemble the 20 Norwegian krone coin that it can fool vending machines, coins-to-cash machines, arcade machines, and any other coin-operated, automated service machine in the country...
budget came as an allowance from the state.
Syria
The party slogan "Unity, Freedom, Socialism" is enshrined in the constitution of the Syrian Arab Republic. The eight article of the constitution of Syrian Arab Republic stipulates that "[t]he leading party in the society and the state is the ... Ba'ath Party. It leads the National Progressive Front seeking to unify the resources of the masses of the people and place them at the service of the goals of the Arab nation." A constitution was adopted in 1973. As per the constitution of the Syrian Arab Republic, it is the Regional Command of the party that nominates the candidate for president of the republic. The Syrian Arab Republic constitution does not explicitly say that president has to be the leader of the party, but the National Progressive Front charter states that president of the Syrian Arab Republic and the secreterary of party is also the president of the Front.The party has dominated the Syrian parliament since 1963. The party leads 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...
, and in all elections conducted under this constitution the party has obtained the majority of the 167 parliamentary seats reserved for the Front. In the 2003 parliamentary election, the party secured 135 of the seats.
As of the mid-2000s, the party membership in Syria was estimated at 800,000. Key party organs in Syria are al-Ba'ath and at-Thawra.
The Syrian Regional Command of the party has 21 members. As of 1987 the Syrian Regional Command consisted of the 3 vice presidents of the Syrian Arab Republic, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, the parliamentary speaker, the Aleppo and Hama
Hama
Hama is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in west-central Syria north of Damascus. It is the provincial capital of the Hama Governorate. Hama is the fourth-largest city in Syria—behind Aleppo, Damascus, and Homs—with a population of 696,863...
party secretaries as well as the heads of the party bureaus for trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
s, economy and higher education.
The seventh Syrian regional party congress was held in January 1980. The congress created a new institution, the Central Committee, to act as an intermediary body between the Regional Command and local branches. The Central Committee had 75 members. The eight regional congress decided to expand the Central Committee to 95 members. The Central Committee was charged with electing the Regional Command, which previously had been done by the regional congress delegates. The Central Committee represents the regional congress when the congress is not in session.
The party has 19 branches in Syria; one in each of the provinces (13), one in Damascus, one in Aleppo and one at each of the four universities. In most cases the governor of a province, police chief, mayor and other local dignitaries make up the Branch Command. However, the Branch Command Secretary and other executive positions are filled by party whole-timers.
The Syrian regional party congress is held every four years. Whilst being a strictly orchestrated affair, the regional congress has been a venue for actual debates on current affairs. At the 1985 regional congress criticism against corruption and economic stagnation were expressed, albeit candidly. 771 branch delegates assisted this congress.
The party has a parallel structure in the Syrian armed forces. The military and civilian sectors only meet at the regional level, as military sector is represented in the Regional Command and sends delegates to regional congresses. The military sector is divided into branches, operating at battalion level. The head of a military party branch is called a tawjihi ('Guide').
Party has an Inspection and Control Committee, instituted in 1980. The Party Security Law passed in 1979, criminalizing 'deviations' inside the party and attacks on the party.
The party has three bureaus, for coordinating work in mass organizations; the Popular Organizations Bureau (coordinating the People's Army militia, the Revolution Youth Union
Revolution Youth Union
Revolution Youth Union is a the youth organization of Baath Party in Syria. The chairman of the organization is Dr. Adnan Arbash. Joining RYU starts mostly within the year 10 at schools and it is the partisan's track for active membership in the Baath Party after -at least- 3 years of ideological...
, Students Union and the General Union of Syrian Women
General Union of Syrian Women
General Union of Syrian Women is a women's organisation in Syria. GUSW was founded in 1967, as a merger of different existing women's groups. The president of GUSW, as of 2004, is Souad Bakkour, MP....
), the Workers Bureau (coordinating the General Federation of Trade Unions) and the Peasants Bureau (coordinating the Peasants Federation). Children joined the Vanguards, an organization for grade-school boys and girls. Vanguards attend paramilitary summer camps, operated by the armed forces. In the mid-1970s party ran a mass campaign for mobilization of peasants into the Peasants Federation.
The party has its own system of political education, including the Higher Political Institute (a graduate school of the University of Damascus
University of Damascus
The University of Damascus is the largest and oldest university in Syria, located in the capital Damascus and has campuses in other Syrian cities. It was founded in 1923 through the merger of the School of Medicine and the Institute of Law , also making it the oldest university in modern-day Syria...
).
In mid-2005 Abdul Halim Khaddam
Abdul Halim Khaddam
Abdul Halim Khaddam is a Syrian politician who was Vice President of Syria from 1984 to 2005.-Early life and career:Abdul Halim Khaddam was born on 15 September 1932 in Baniyas, Syria. Abdul Halim was one of the few Sunni Muslims to make it to the top of the Alawite-dominated Syrian leadership...
resigned as National Command and Central Committee member.
Iraq
The party was sometimes known as 'Left-wing Ba'ath' or 'Qotr al-Iraq' in Iraq. Prominent members of the party in Iraq include Mahmud al-Shaykh Radhi, Fawzi al-Rawi and Dr Mahmud Shamsa. The party opposed the rule of Saddam Hussein. It was one of the first groups to be targeted by the Saddam regime. The party lost hundreds of its cadres in repression from the Saddam regime. Radhi had been based in Syria during the 1970s.The party labelled the Saddam regime as 'fascist'. When the Iran-Iraq war
Iran-Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between the armed forces of Iraq and Iran, lasting from September 1980 to August 1988, making it the longest conventional war of the twentieth century...
broke out in 1980, the party took part in forming the Iraqi Patriotic and Democratic Front, together with the Iraqi Communist Party
Iraqi Communist Party
Since its foundation in 1934, the Iraqi Communist Party has dominated the left in Iraqi politics. It played a fundamental role in shaping the political history of Iraq between its foundation and the 1970s. The Party was involved in many of the most important national uprisings and demonstrations...
, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
and the Kurdish Socialist Party. The front vowed to overthrow the Saddam regime.
In the 1980s, the party began cooperating with SCIRI
Sciri
Sciri may refer to:*Scirii, people*SCIRI, the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq...
. The party organized the first general conference of Iraqi opposition groups in Damascus in 1989. It also participated in a conference of Iraqi opposition groups in Beirut in 1991. As of 1999, Radhi was reported to stay in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The party was one of the three main groups (along with the Iraqi Communist Party and the Dawa Party) is forming the Coalition of Iraqi National Forces. The Coalition was opposed to the Saddam regime as well as U.S. military intervention. During the run-up to the 2003 Iraq War, the party publicly denounced U.S. involvement in the organizing of Iraqi dissidents in exile.
After the fall of the Saddam regime, some confusion arose whether the de-Baathification law also applied to the party. In 2008 Radhi requested that the party be allowed to function inside Iraq and join the process of reconciliation. In response the Iraqi government declared that they viewed the 'Qotr al-Iraq' as distinct from 'Saddam's Ba'ath', as 'Qotr al-Iraq' had participated in the opposition conferences during the Saddam years. As of 2009, the Iraqi regional organization is reportedly still based in Syria.
Lebanon
The Lebanese branch of the undivided Ba'ath Party had been formed in 1949–1950. As of 1983, the Regional Command secretary is Assem Qanso. During the Lebanese Civil WarLebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
, the party had an armed militia, the Assad Battalion. The party joined forces with Kamal Jumblatt
Kamal Jumblatt
Kamal Jumblatt ; was an important Lebanese politician. He was the main leader of the anti-government forces in the Lebanese Civil War until his assassination in 1977. He is the father of the present Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt.-Family background and education:Kamal Jumblatt was born in...
's Progressive Socialist Party
Progressive Socialist Party
The Progressive Socialist Party or PSP , also known as Parti Socialiste Progressiste in French, is a political party in Lebanon. Its current leader is Walid Jumblatt...
in organizing the National Democratic Movement, seeking to abolish the confessional state. The National Democratic Movement was later superseded by the National Democratic Front, in which the party participated. The party organized resistance against Israeli forces in Lebanon. In July 1987 it took part in forming yet another front, the Unification and Liberation Front.
In the 2009 parliamentary election
Lebanese general election, 2009
-Background:Prior to the election, the process to lower the voting age from 21 to 18 years was put into motion, but as this requires a constitutional amendment, it did not happen before the election.- Allocation of seats :...
, the party won two seats as part of the March 8 Alliance
March 8 Alliance
The March 8 Alliance is a coalition of various political parties in Lebanon. It has been the ruling coalition since January 25, 2011 when the alliance managed to nominate Najib Mikati as the new prime minister.-History:...
. The parliamentarians of the party are Assem Qanso and Qassem Hashem.
Palestine
The General Secretary of as-Saiqa, Isam al-QadiIsam al-Qadi
Isam al-Qadi was a Palestinian Ba'thist politician aligned with the government of Syria. He has been head of the Syrian-controlled as-Sa'iqa faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization between 1979 and until his death in 2006. He lived and buried in Damascus....
, was a member of the National Command, at least from 1975 onwards. As of 1976, Palestinian Samir al-Attari is member of the National Command.
Up to 1970, as-Saiqa remained under the control of Jadid.
Zuhayr Muhsin is Palestinian who is a member of the Ba'ath Party's National Command.
Sudan
During the 1980s, the party was called 'Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Organization of Sudan' (differentiating it from the pro-Iraqi party, called 'Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Country of Sudan'). The party contested the 1986 election as part of the Progressive National Front.The party held its third regional congress in Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
on February 5–6, 2009. The congress elected at-Tijani Mustafa Yassin as regional secretary, an 11-member Regional Command and a 23-member Central Committee. The congress stated that the party sought cooperation with the National Congress Party
National Congress (Sudan)
The National Congress or National Congress Party ' is the governing official political party of Sudan. It is headed by Omar al-Bashir, who has been President of Sudan since he seized power in a military coup on 30 June 1989, and began institutionalizing Sharia law at a national level...
for the sake of forming a national front. The party staunchly opposed independence of South Sudan
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
.
Yemen
Ba'athismBa'athism
Ba'athism is an Arab nationalist ideology that promotes the development and creation of an Arab nation through the leadership of a vanguard party over a progressive revolutionary state. The ideology is officially based on the theories of Zaki al-Arsuzi , Michel Aflaq and Salah al-Din al-Bitar...
in Yemen originates back to the 1950s. The party worked underground until 1990. It obtained official registration as the 'Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party' on December 31, 1995 (whilst the other group had to register as the 'National Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party'). The regional secretary of the party in Yemen is Dr. Mahmoud Abdul-Wahab Abdul-Hamid. The party contested the 1993 parliamentary election
Yemeni parliamentary election, 1993
Parliamentary elections were held in Yemen on 27 April 1993. The result was a victory for the General People's Congress, which won 122 of the 301 seats. Voter turnout was 84.1%. -Results:-References:...
, winning seven seats. In the 1997
Yemeni parliamentary election, 1997
The 1997 Yemeni parliamentary elections took place on 27 April 1997 for the Assembly of Representatives of Yemen. The governing General People's Congress of President Ali Abdullah Saleh won a landslide victory in the elections...
and 2003 parliamentary elections
Yemeni parliamentary election, 2003
Parliamentary elections were held in Yemen on 27 April, 2003. Originally scheduled for 2001, they were won by President Ali Abdullah Saleh's General People's Congress, who took 58% of the vote...
, the party won two seats. In 2003, the party got 0.66% of the national vote. The party supported Ali Abdullah Saleh
Ali Abdullah Saleh
Field Marshal Ali Abdullah Saleh is the first President of the Republic of Yemen. Saleh previously served as President of the Yemen Arab Republic from 1978 until 1990, at which time he assumed the office of chairman of the Presidential Council of a post-unification Yemen. He is the...
in the 1999 presidential election
Yemeni presidential election, 1999
Direct Presidential elections were held in Yemen for the first time on 23 September 1999. Candidates had to be approved by at least 10% of MPs; however, in practice this meant that only two parties, the ruling General People's Congress and the Yemeni Congregation for Reform had enough seats to...
.
In December 2008, the party and the National Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party agreed to coordinate their political activities.
In November 2010 one of the key leaders of the party in Yemen, Ali Ahmad Nasser al-Dhahab
Ali Ahmad Nasser al-Dhahab
Ali Ahmad Nasser al-Dhahab was a Yemeni politician, belonging to the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Yemen Region. He became a Baathist activist during his student days in Sana'a, and rose to become the Assistant Regional Secretary of the party in Yemen. In 1993 the was elected to parliament, a...
(assistant secretary of the Regional Command and Member of Parliament since 1993), died.