Central Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region explained

The Central Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party (ar|القيادة المركزية لحزب البعث العربي الاشتراكي), 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, was the ruling organ of the Ba'ath Party organization in Syria and the Syrian-led Ba'athist movement. Its predecessor, the Regional Command, stems from Ba'athist ideology, where region literally means an Arab state. Until 2012, according to the Constitution of Syria, the Central Command had 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, 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.

Before the 1970 Corrective Movement 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 was officially responsible to the Regional Congress. The Central Command was supposed to be subordinate to the National Command, and official media portrayed it as such to stress the government's commitment to Ba'athist ideology. Since Hafez al-Assad's rise to power, the National Command was subordinate to the Central Command. Before the schism between the Military Committee led by Salah Jadid and the Aflaqites, and the ensuing 1966 coup d'état, the National Command was the leading party organ. The Central Command was the most powerful institution in Ba'athist Syria.

The Secretary-General chaired 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 was permitted in Central Command meetings. Members were allowed to discuss each sides of complex issues and members could criticize certain policies and how they are implemented. However, if Bashar al-Assad supported 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 increasingly became a rubber stamp body.

Following the fall of the Ba'athist regime, on 11 December 2024, the Ba'ath Party suspended all its activities indefinitely and transferred its assets to the Syrian state, effectively dissolving the party.[1]

Heads and bureaux

Heads
PortraitName
Tenure
Took officeLeft officeDuration
Regional Secretary of the Regional Command
1Hammud al-Shufi
Arabic: حمود الشوفي‎
5 September 19631 February 1964
2Shibli al-Aysami
Arabic: شبلي العيسمي
5 February 19644 October 1964
3Amin al-Hafiz
Arabic: أمين الحافظ
4 October 196419 December 1965
Regional Command dissolved
(19 December 1965 – 27 March 1966)
4Nureddin al-Atassi
Arabic: نور الدين الأتاسي‎
27 March 196613 November 1970
5Hafez al-Assad
Arabic: حافظ الأسد‎
18 November 197010 June 2000 †
6Bashar al-Assad
Arabic: بشار الأسد
24 June 200026 October 2018
General Secretary of the Central Command
Bashar al-Assad
Arabic: بشار الأسد
26 October 20188 December 2024
Deputy heads
PortraitName
Tenure
Took officeLeft officeDuration
Assistant Regional Secretary of the Regional Command
1Fahmu al-Ashuri
Arabic: فهمو العاشوري‎		1 February 196417 March 1965
2Muhammad az-Zubi
Arabic: محمد الزوبي		17 March 19651 August 1965
3Salah Jadid
Arabic: صلاح جديد
1 August 196513 November 1970
4Mohamad Jaber Bajbouj
Arabic: محمد جابر بجبوج		18 November 19707 January 1980
5Zuhair Masharqa
Arabic: زهير مشارقة
7 January 198020 January 1985
6Sulayman Qaddah
Arabic: سليمان قداح		20 January 19859 June 2005
7Mohammed Saeed Bekheitan
Arabic: محمد سعيد بخيتان‎
9 June 20058 July 2013
8Hilal Hilal
Arabic: هلال هلال‎
10 July 201326 October 2018
Assistant General Secretary of the Central Command
Hilal Hilal
Arabic: هلال هلال‎
[2] 		26 October 20188 May 2024
9Ibrahim al-Hadid
Arabic: ابراهیم الحديد
[3] [4] 		8 May 202411 December 2024
Bureaus of the Central Command

Members

Only members who were elected to the Regional Command at the 1st Regional Congress (held in 5 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 Syrian Regional Branch was officially reestablished on 5 September 1963.

Name! scope="col"
Took officeLeft officeTerm(s)Duration
5 September 19631 February 19641
5 September 19631 February 19641
5 September 196319 December 19654
27 March 196613 November 19704
5 September 19631 February 19641
5 September 19631 February 19641
5 September 196319 December 19654
5 September 19634 April 19654
27 March 196610 June 20008
5 September 196319 December 19654
27 March 196613 November 19704
1 February 196419 December 19653
1 February 196419 December 19654
27 March 196613 November 19704
1 February 196417 March 19651
1 February 19644 April 19651
1 February 19644 April 19651
1 August 196519 December 19651
27 March 196631 March 19693
1 February 19644 April 19651
1 February 19644 April 19651
1 February 196419 December 19653
27 March 1966September 19661
1 February 19644 April 19651
1 February 196419 December 19653
27 March 1966September 19661
1 February 196419 December 19653
27 March 196613 November 19704
1 February 19644 April 19651
1 February 19644 April 19651
4 April 19651 August 19651
27 March 196613 November 19704
1 February 19644 April 19651
27 March 196628 September 19683
31 March 196913 November 19701
4 April 19651 August 19651
1 August 196519 December 19651
28 September 19689 June 20059
1 August 196519 December 19651
1 August 196519 December 19651
27 March 196631 March 19694
1 August 196519 December 19651
27 March 196613 November 19704
1 August 196519 December 19651
27 March 196628 September 19683
1 August 196519 December 19651
27 March 1966February 19682
27 March 1966September 19661
27 March 196613 November 19704
September 196613 November 19703
September 196613 November 19703
September 196613 November 19703
28 September 196831 March 19691
28 September 196813 November 19702
31 March 196913 November 19701
31 March 196913 November 19701
13 November 19707 January 19803
13 November 1970March 19782
13 November 19707 January 19803
13 November 19709 June 20056
13 November 19709 June 20056
13 November 19707 January 19803
13 November 197015 April 19752
7 January 198020 January 19851
13 November 1970August 19752
13 November 197015 April 19752
13 November 197014 May 19711
13 November 197014 May 19711
13 November 19707 January 19803
13 November 197015 April 19752
14 May 19717 January 19802
14 May 197115 April 19751
14 May 19717 January 19802
14 May 19717 January 19802
14 May 19717 January 19802
14 May 197115 April 19751
14 May 197115 April 19751
14 May 19717 January 19802
15 April 19759 June 20053
15 April 19758 February 19983
15 April 197520 January 19852
15 April 19757 January 19801
15 April 19757 January 19801
15 April 19757 January 19801
15 April 19757 January 19801
7 January 198029 December 19831
7 January 1980July 19982
7 January 198020 January 19851
7 January 19809 June 20053
7 January 19809 June 20053
7 January 198021 June 20002
7 January 198021 June 20002
7 January 198021 June 20002
7 January 198021 June 20002
7 January 198021 June 20002
7 January 198021 June 20002
7 January 198020 January 19851
7 January 19809 June 20052
7 January 198021 June 20001
20 January 198521 June 20001
20 January 19859 June 20052
20 January 19859 June 20052
20 January 198521 June 20001
21 June 200011 December 20242
21 June 20009 June 20051
21 June 20008 July 20132
21 June 20008 July 20132
21 June 20008 December 20011
21 June 20009 June 20051
21 June 20009 June 20051
21 June 20009 June 20051
21 June 20009 June 20051
21 June 20008 July 20132
21 June 20009 June 20051
21 June 20008 July 20132
9 June 200518 July 20121
9 June 200520 July 20121
9 June 20058 July 20131
9 June 20058 July 20131
9 June 20058 July 20131
9 June 20058 July 20131
9 June 20058 July 20131
9 June 20058 July 20131
8 July 20133 July 20161
8 July 20136 June 20161
8 July 201322 April 20171
8 July 201322 April 20171
8 July 20134 May 20242
8 July 20138 May 20243
8 July 201322 April 20171
8 July 201322 April 20171
8 July 201322 April 20171
8 July 201322 April 20171
8 July 201322 April 20171
8 July 201322 April 20171
8 July 201322 April 20171
8 July 201322 April 20171
8 July 201311 December 20243
22 April 201713 November 20211
22 April 20174 May 20241
22 April 20174 May 20241
22 April 20174 May 20241
22 April 20174 May 20241
22 April 20174 May 20241
22 April 20174 May 20241
22 April 201711 December 20242
4 May 202411 December 20241
4 May 202411 December 20241
4 May 202411 December 20241
4 May 202411 December 20241
4 May 202411 December 20241
4 May 202411 December 20241
4 May 202411 December 20241
4 May 202411 December 20241
4 May 202411 December 20241
4 May 202411 December 20241
4 May 202411 December 20241
4 May 202411 December 20241

Members of the Oversight and Inspection Committee

Name! scope="col"
Took officeLeft officeTerm(s)Duration
4 May 202411 December 2024 1
4 May 202411 December 2024 1
4 May 202411 December 2024 1
4 May 202411 December 2024 1
4 May 202411 December 20241

References

Bibliography

Journals and papers
Books

Notes and References

  1. Web site: حسون . علي . 2024-12-11 . بيان داخلي . 2024-12-15 . جريدة البعث . ar . 2024-12-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241225014959/https://newspaper.albaathmedia.sy/2024/12/11/%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AE%D9%84%D9%8A/.
  2. Web site: Syria Comment. 4 February 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150204200527/http://arab.jinbo.net/aggregator/sources/7. 4 February 2015.
  3. Web site: السيرة الذاتية للرفاق أعضاء القيادة المركزية لحزب البعث العربي الاشتراكي07-05-2024.
  4. Web site: هنأ بوتين بتنصيبه رئيساً لروسيا الاتحادية لولاية جديدة … الرئيس الأسد للقيادة المركزية: الحوار أحد أهم آليات تعزيز حضور «البع. He congratulated Putin on his inauguration as President of the Russian Federation for a new term... President al-Assad of the Central Command: Dialogue is one of the most important mechanisms for strengthening the presence of the “Baath Party.”. 9 May 2024. 10 May 2024. Al Watan Newspaper.
  5. News: البعث ينهي انتخاباته بتشكيل قيادة مركزية جديدة والرئيس الأسد أميناً عاماً بالإجماع … الرئيس الأسد: هذه الانتخابات ستشكل قيمة مضافة ومفصلاً حقيقياً في تاريخ الحزب. The Baath Party ends its elections by forming a new central leadership and President al-Assad is unanimously appointed Secretary-General... President al-Assad: These elections will constitute added value and a real turning point in the party’s history.. Al-Watan Newspaper. 5 May 2024. 5 May 2024.

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