The Central Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, which was established through the merger of the National Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party and the Regional Command of the
Syrian Regional Branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party in 2018, is the ruling organ of the Ba'ath Party organization in Syria and the Syrian-led Ba'athist movement. Its former, Regional Command ( ar, Al-Qiyada Al-Qutriyya), stems from
Ba'athist ideology, where region literally means an Arab state. According to the Syrian Constitution, the Central Command has the power to nominate a candidate for president. While the constitution does not state that the Secretary-General of the Central Command is the President of Syria, the charter of the
National Progressive Front (NPF), of which the Ba'ath Party is a member, states that the President and the Secretary-General is the NPF President, but this is not stated in any legal document. The 1st Extraordinary Regional Congress held in 1964 decided that the Secretary-General of the Central Command would also be head of state.
Amin al-Hafiz
Amin al-Hafiz ( ar, أمين الحافظ, Amīn al-Ḥāfiẓ12 November 1921 – 17 December 2009), also known as Amin Hafez was a Syrian politician, general, and member of the Ba'ath Party who served as the President of Syria from 27 July ...
, the incumbent secretary, became head of state and retained his post as Prime Minister.
At the 2nd Regional Congress in 1965, the Military Committee weakened the powers of the
National Command by passing a resolution that the Regional Secretary of the Regional Command was ''
ex officio'' head of state. The secretariat was given the powers to appoint the Prime Minister, the cabinet, the commander-in-chief and the leading military commanders.( ar, lajna quamiyya). Before the 1970
Corrective Revolution that brought
Hafez al-Assad to power, the local party leadership was elected by fellow Ba'ath Party members; when al-Assad came to power the Central Command began to appoint all party officials. Under
Bashar al-Assad this policy was reversed, and party members were again able to elect the local party leadership, but candidates had to be approved by the party leadership.
The Central Command is officially responsible to the Regional Congress. The Central Command is supposed to be subordinate to the National Command, and official media portray it as such to stress the government's commitment to Ba'athist ideology. Since Hafez al-Assad's rise to power, the National Command has been subordinate to the Central Command. Before the schism between the Military Committee led by
Salah Jadid
Salah Jadid (1926 – 19 August 1993, ar, صلاح جديد, Ṣalāḥ Jadīd) was a Syrian general, a leader of the left-wing of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party in Syria, and the country's ''de facto'' leader from 1966 until 1970, when h ...
and the Aflaqites, and the ensuing
1966 Syrian coup d'état
The 1966 Syrian coup d'état refers to events between 21 and 23 February during which the government of the Syrian Arab Republic was overthrown and replaced. The ruling National Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party were removed from power ...
, the National Command was the leading party organ. The Central Command is today the most powerful institution in Syria.
The Secretary-General chairs all the meetings of the Central Command. If the Secretary-General is absent, the Assistant Secretary-General substitutes him. The Assistant Secretary-General sets the agenda for the meeting, with consultation of the Secretary-General. Under Bashar al-Assad a degree of openness is permitted in Central Command meetings. Members are allowed to discuss each sides of complex issues and members can criticize certain policies and how they are implemented. However, if Bashar al-Assad supports a side, that side will prevail in the argument. In contrast to his father, Hafez, who consulted with the Central Command and took their views into account before he made a decision, the Central Command under Bashar al-Assad is increasingly becoming a rubber stamp body.
Heads and bureaus
;Regional Secretary of the Regional Command
*
Hammud al-Shufi
Hammud al-Shufi ( ar, حمود الشوفي) was a Syrian politician, and is mostly known for his short stint as Regional Secretary of the Regional Command of the Syrian Regional Branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party in the early-to-mid 1960 ...
(5 September 1963 – 1 February 1964)
*
Shibli Aysami (5 February 1964 – 4 October 1964)
*
Amin al-Hafiz
Amin al-Hafiz ( ar, أمين الحافظ, Amīn al-Ḥāfiẓ12 November 1921 – 17 December 2009), also known as Amin Hafez was a Syrian politician, general, and member of the Ba'ath Party who served as the President of Syria from 27 July ...
(4 October 1964 – 19 December 1965)
* ''Regional Command dissolved (19 December 1965 – 27 March 1966)''
*
Nureddin al-Atassi
Noureddin Mustafa Ali al-Atassi ( ar, نور الدين مصطفى الأتاسي, translit=Nūr ad-Dīn Muṣṭafā al-'Atasī, 11 January 1929 – 3 December 1992) was President of Syria from February 1966 to November 1970.
Early life and ...
(27 March 1966 – 13 November 1970)
*
Hafez al-Assad (18 November 1970 – 10 June 2000)
*
Bashar al-Assad (24 June 2000 – October 2018)
;Secretary-General of the Central Command
*
Bashar al-Assad (October 2018 – present)
;Assistant Regional Secretary of the Regional Command
*
Fahmu al-Ashuri (1 February 1964 – 17 March 1965)
*
Muhammad az-Zubi (17 March – 1 August 1965)
*
Salah Jadid
Salah Jadid (1926 – 19 August 1993, ar, صلاح جديد, Ṣalāḥ Jadīd) was a Syrian general, a leader of the left-wing of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party in Syria, and the country's ''de facto'' leader from 1966 until 1970, when h ...
(1 August 1965 – 13 November 1970)
*
Mohamad Jaber Bajbouj (18 November 1970 – 7 January 1980)
*
Zuhair Masharqa (7 January 1980 – 20 January 1985)
*
Sulayman Qaddah (20 January 1985 – 9 June 2005)
*
Mohammed Saeed Bekheitan (9 June 2005 – 8 July 2013)
*
Hilal Hilal (10 July 2013 – October 2018)
;Assistant Secretary-General of the Central Command
*
Hilal Hilal (October 2018 – present)
;Bureaus of the Central Command
* Bureau of the Secretariat
*
National Security Bureau
* Organization Bureau
* Preparation Bureau
* Military Bureau (also known as the "Military Committee")
* Bureau of Education and Scouts
* Bureau of Peasants
* Finance Bureau
* Legal Bureau
* National Economy Bureau
* Bureau of Students
* Bureau of Youth and Sport
* Bureau of High Education and Scientific Research
* Bureau of Professional
* Bureau of Workers
Members
Only members who were elected to the Regional Command at the 1st Regional Congress (held in September 1963) and after are included in this list. The Syrian Regional Branch was dissolved in 1958 (and is therefore considered as a distinct entity by the Syrian Regional Branch itself) so that Syria, with Egypt, could establish the
United Arab Republic
The United Arab Republic (UAR; ar, الجمهورية العربية المتحدة, al-Jumhūrīyah al-'Arabīyah al-Muttaḥidah) was a sovereign state in the Middle East from 1958 until 1971. It was initially a political union between Eg ...
. The Syrian Regional Branch was officially reestablished in September 1963.
References
Bibliography
;Journals and papers
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;Books
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Regional Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party - Syria Region
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Organizations established in 1963
Executive committees of political parties
1963 establishments in Syria