The text of the constitution provides for freedom of opinion, expression, publication, and the press, as well as reaffirms the State’s commitment to the unity of the territory and the people, and respect for cultural particularities, the official SANA news agency reported.

The declaration added that it guaranteed women’s right to property, work, and education, and granted them political rights.

It also emphasized the independence of the judiciary and left the matter of removing or reducing the president’s powers to the People’s Assembly, which will be responsible for the entire legislative process, while executive power is exercised by the President of the Republic.

The transition period was set at five years, and the President of the Republic was granted the right to declare a state of emergency, provided it is approved first by the National Security Council.

“We hope this will bode well for the Syrian people on the path toward construction and development,” Al-Shara said.

He hoped this will be a new page for Syria, in which ignorance is replaced with knowledge and suffering with mercy.

In a move aimed at filling the constitutional vacuum in Syria, the interim president of this Levantine nation issued a decision earlier this March to form a committee of experts to draft the constitutional declaration.

ef/ro/fm