The
National Progressive Front , established in 1972, is a
coalitionA coalition is an alliance among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in his own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
of
political partiesPolitical Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...
in
SyriaSyria , 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....
that support the socialist and
Arab nationalistArab nationalism is a nationalist ideology which rose to prominence amongst Arabs from the early 20th century onwards. Its central premise is that the peoples and countries of the Arab World, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Arabian Sea, constitute one nation and are bound together by their common...
orientation of the government and accept the leading role in society of the Arab Socialist Ba’th Party.
The Front was established by Syrian president Hafiz al-Asad to provide for a limited degree of participation in government by political parties other than the ruling Ba'th Party.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'National Progressive Front' Start a new discussion about 'National Progressive Front' Answer questions from other users |
The
National Progressive Front , established in 1972, is a
coalitionA coalition is an alliance among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in his own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
of
political partiesPolitical Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...
in
SyriaSyria , 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....
that support the socialist and
Arab nationalistArab nationalism is a nationalist ideology which rose to prominence amongst Arabs from the early 20th century onwards. Its central premise is that the peoples and countries of the Arab World, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Arabian Sea, constitute one nation and are bound together by their common...
orientation of the government and accept the leading role in society of the Arab Socialist Ba’th Party.
The Front was established by Syrian president Hafiz al-Asad to provide for a limited degree of participation in government by political parties other than the ruling Ba'th Party. Its constitution provides that the Ba'th Party controls 50% plus one of the votes on its executive committee. A number of seats in the
People's Council of SyriaThe Parliament of Syria is Syria's legislative authority. It has 250 members elected for a four year term in 15 multi-seat constituencies, in which 167 seats are guaranteed for the National Progressive Front. Syria is a single-party state...
are reserved for members of NPF parties other than the Ba'th Party.
From 1972 to date, only parties participating in the NPF have been legally permitted to operate in Syria. There is currently considerable discussion in Syria regarding a proposed new law which will allow political parties to be formed more generally: it is as yet unclear whether the parties to be licensed under this law would be required to join the NPF. Traditionally, the parties of the NPF are socialist and/or Arab nationalist in orientation, but in 2005 the
Syrian Social Nationalist PartyThe Syrian Social Nationalist Party or SSNP , is a secular nationalist political party in Syria and Lebanon...
was formally legalised and joined the front as the first non-Socialist, non-Arab nationalist party admitted to the NPF. Some have suggested this may allow toleration of broader ideological viewpoints within Syrian politics, but ethnically-based (Kurdish and Assyrian) movements continue to be repressed, and a strict ban on religious and right-wing parties is still enforced.
The NPF is composed of seven political parties:
- Arab Socialist Ba'th Party (Article 8 of the Syrian constitution states that "the Arab Socialist Ba'th Party leads the state and society"),
- Arab Socialist Movement
The Arab Socialist Movement is a political party in Syria. It is, as the name implies, an Arab socialist party, with roots in the peasant movement. It traces its roots back to the 1930s radical anti-feudal group led by Akram al-Hawrani, which merged with the Ba'th Party in 1953, only to withdraw...
- Arab Socialist Union
The Arab Socialist Union is one of a number of loosely related political parties based on the principles of Nasserist Arab socialism in a number of countries.-Egypt:...
- Communist Party of Syria (Khalid Bakdash
Khalid Bakdash was the leader of the Syrian Communist Party from 1936 until his death. In 1954 Bakdash became the first member of a communist party to be elected to an Arab parliament. He has since been called the "dean of Arab communism."-Early life:Bakdash was a Damascus native of Kurdish origin...
faction)
- Communist Party of Syria (Yusuf Faisal faction)
- Social Democratic Unionists
The Social Democratic Unionists is a political party in Syria. It is part of the National Progressive Front of legally licenced parties which support the socialist and Arab nationalist orientation of the government and accept the leadership of the Ba'th Party...
- Socialist Unionists
The Socialist Unionists is a Nasserist political party in Syria. The party was founded in 1961, through a split in the Baath Party. It is part of the National Progressive Front of legally permitted parties which support the socialist and Arab nationalist orientation of the government and accept...
- Syrian Social Nationalist Party
The Syrian Social Nationalist Party or SSNP , is a secular nationalist political party in Syria and Lebanon...
- Democratic Socialist Unionist Party
The Democratic Socialist Unionist Party is a political party in Syria. It is part of the National Progressive Front of legally licenced parties which support the socialist and Arab nationalist orientation of the government and accept the leadership of the Ba'th Party...
- Arabic Democratic Unionist Party
The Arabic Democratic Unionist Party ) is a political party in Syria. It is part of the National Progressive Front of legally licenced parties which support the socialist and Arab nationalist orientation of the government and accept the leadership of the Ba'th Party...
- National Vow Movement
The National Vow Movement ) is a nationalist political party in Syria. It is part of the National Progressive Front of legally licenced parties which support the socialist and Arab nationalist orientation of the government and accept the leadership of the Ba'th Party...