The National Progressive Front (Arabic: الجبهة الوطنية التقدمية, al-Jabha al-Waṭaniyyah al-Taqaddumiyyah, NPF) was a state organised coalition of left-wing parties that supported the Arab nationalist and Arab socialist orientation of the now defunct Syrian Arab Republic and accepted the "leading role" of the ruling Syrian Ba'ath party. The coalition was modelled after the popular front system used in the Socialist Bloc, through which Syrian Ba'ath party governed the country while permitting nominal participation of smaller, satellite parties. The NPF was part of Ba'ath party's efforts to expand its support base and neutralize prospects for any sustainable liberal or left-wing opposition, by instigating splits within independent leftist parties or repressing them.[2][3][4][5][6]
National Progressive Front الجبهة الوطنية التقدمية | |
|---|---|
.png) | |
| President | Bashar al-Assad |
| Vice-President | Mohammad al-Shaar[1] |
| Founder | Hafez al-Assad |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Dissolved | 11 December 2024 |
| Headquarters | Damascus |
| Ideology | Neo-Ba'athism Arab nationalism Arab socialism Pan-Arabism Secularism Anti-Zionism |
| Political position | Big tent Factions: Centre-left to far-left |
| Party flag | |
,_Flag_of_Syria_(1980%E2%80%932024).svg) | |
| Website | |
| pnf | |
The NPF model was created by the Ba'athist system to enforce a highly centralized presidential system.[7] The satellite parties within the NPF had smaller political power and largely functioned as networks for mobilizing loyalty to the government. Student activism and political activities in armed forces were strictly prohibited for non-Ba'athist parties in the NPF, amongst other restrictions.[8][9]
History
editThe NPF was established in 1972 by Syrian president Hafez al-Assad to provide for a limited degree of participation in government by political parties other than the ruling Ba'ath Party.[10] While NPF had little influence in central bodies such as the People's Assembly, it was given more say at the local level, where non-Ba'athists and independent candidates were fielded. While the Ba'ath Party controlled vast majority of votes in the central committees, a number of seats in the local were allotted for members of other NPF parties and independents. These minor parties were legally required to accept the leadership of the Ba'ath Party. The non-Ba'athist parties in the Progressive Front, for example, were not allowed to canvass for supporters in the army or the student body which were "reserved exclusively for the Ba'ath."[11]
From 1972 to 2011, only parties participating in the NPF were legally permitted to operate in Syria. The Legislative Decree on Parties law of 2011,[12] Legislative Decree on General Elections Law of 2011[13] and the new Syrian constitution of 2012[14] introduced multi-party system in Syria.
After previously being a part of NPF, Syrian Social Nationalist Party joined the opposition, Popular Front for Change and Liberation, for the May 2012 Syrian parliamentary election. However, in the June 2014 presidential election, the SSNP supported the re-election of Bashar al-Assad and subsequently rejoined the front.[15]
Following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, the Ba'ath Party indefinitely halted all activities,[16][17] and both the Syrian Communist Party (Unified), the National Covenant Party and the SSNP attempted to distance themselves from Ba'athist rule.[18][19][20]
Constituent parties
editThis section needs to be updated. The reason given is: Based on 2020 elections. IPU election results by party not released for 2024 yet. (September 2024) |
The NPF was composed of the following political parties and associated organisations:
Electoral history
editSyrian People's Assembly elections
edit| Election | Seats | +/– | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 186 / 186
|
New | 1st |
| 1977 | 195 / 195
|
 9
|
 1st
|
| 1981 | 195 / 195
|
|
1st
|
| 1986 | 195 / 195
|
|
1st
|
| 1990 | 250 / 250
|
55
|
1st
|
| 1994 | 250 / 250
|
|
1st
|
| 1998 | 250 / 250
|
|
1st
|
| 2003 | 250 / 250
|
|
1st
|
| 2007 | 250 / 250
|
|
1st
|
| 2012 | 168 / 250
|
 82
|
1st
|
| 2016 | 200 / 250
|
32
|
1st
|
| 2020 | 183 / 250
|
17
|
1st
|
| 2024 | 185 / 250
|
2
|
1st
|
See also
edit
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ "الجبهة الوطنية التقدمية". pnf.org.sy. Mohannad Orfali-. Archived from the original on 2021-07-12. Retrieved 2019-08-23.
- ^ "Is Syria socialist? 2022 Guide". Young Pioneer Tours. 2022. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022.
- ^ Al Hajj-Saleh, Yassîn (1 October 2018). "L'opposition syrienne". Confluences Méditerranée: 71–81. doi:10.3917/come.044.0071. Archived from the original on 28 April 2023.
- ^ Seale, Patrick (1989). "19: The Enemy Within". Asad of Syria: The Struggle for the Middle East. Los Angeles, USA: University of California Press. pp. 175–176. ISBN 0-520-06667-7.
- ^ Taha, Zakaria (2012). The Kurdish opposition and the Baath regime in Syria: between identity dynamics and cooptation strategies. HAL SHS. Archived from the original on 28 April 2023.
- ^ Batatu, Hanna (1999). Syria's Peasantry, the Descendants of Its Lesser Rural Notables, and Their Politics. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Princeton University Press. pp. 121, 274, 275. ISBN 0-691-00254-1.
- ^ Leverett, Flynt (2005). "Chapter Two: Hafiz's Legacy, Bashar's Inheritance". Inheriting Syria: Bashar's Trial by Fire. 1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036: Brookings Institution Press. p. 26. ISBN 978-0-8157-5204-2.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ Batatu, Hanna (1999). "13: The Post-1970 Asad-molded, Career-oriented Ba'ath". Syria's Peasantry, the Descendants of Its Lesser Rural Notables, and Their Politics. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Princeton University Press. p. 187. ISBN 0-691-00254-1.
- ^ Seale, Patrick (1989). Asad of Syria: The Struggle for the Middle East. Los Angeles, USA: University of California Press. p. 176. ISBN 0-520-06667-7.
- ^ Elizabeth O'Bagy (7 June 2012). "Syria's Political Struggle: Spring 2012" (Backgrounder). ISW. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
- ^ Seale, Patrick, Asad, the Struggle for the Middle East, University of California Press, 1989, p. 176
- ^ "Syrian Arab news agency - SANA - Syria : Syria news ::". Archived from the original on 2011-08-05. Retrieved 2013-07-15.
- ^ "Syrian Arab news agency - SANA - Syria : Syria news ::". Archived from the original on 2011-08-05. Retrieved 2013-07-15.
- ^ "SANA Syrian News Agency - Constitution of the Syrian Arab Republic Approved in Popular Referendum on February 27, 2012, Article 8". Archived from the original on October 14, 2012.
- ^ "SSNP Supports Bashar al-Assad's Presidential Nomination". 7 May 2014. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
- ^ "Assad's Baath party suspends work indefinitely in Syria". France 24. 11 December 2024. Archived from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Baath Party Of Syria's Assad Says Suspends Work Indefinitely". Barron's. 11 December 2024.
- ^ "A statement issued by the National Covenant Party". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
- ^ "إلى منظمات الحزب وجميع الرفاق والأصدقاء". الموقع الرسمي للحزب الشيوعي السوري الموحد (in Arabic). 2024-12-10. Archived from the original on 2024-12-12. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
- ^ "بيان هام للحزب تعليقًا على تطوّرات الشام". الحزب السوري القومي الاجتماعي (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2024-12-09. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Orfali, Mohannad. "الجبهة الوطنية التقدمية". pnf.org.sy. Archived from the original on 2021-07-12. Retrieved 2019-06-15.
- ^ Al-Tamimi, Aymenn Jawad. "Quwat Muqatili al-Asha'ir: Tribal Auxiliary Forces of the Military Intelligence". Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi. Archived from the original on 2018-10-20. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
- ^ "الهيئة العامة للإذاعة والتلفزيون - سورية". Archived from the original on 2019-09-06. Retrieved 2019-08-30.