The Syrian government has adopted a draft law allowing multipartism. The law was adopted by the government late Sunday night, the official SANA news agency reported.
The government "adopted a draft law regarding political parties in Syria as part of a programme of reform aimed at enriching the political life, creating a new dynamic and allowing for a change in political power," SANA said.
"The bill stipulates the essential objectives and principles governing the activities of parties, conditions for their establishment ... and rules relating to their financing, their rights and their obligations," SANA said.
It prohibits parties founded on the basis "of religion, tribal affiliation, regions and professional organisations as well as those which discriminate on the basis of race, sex or colour," the report said. It added that non-Syrian parties are also banned.
In a statement to the press after the meeting, Minister of Information Dr. Adnan Mahmoud said that the new law bill lays the legislative and legal foundations for political life and party pluralism, which are the basis of the democratic system.
Dr. Mahmoud added that the law will revitalize political activity and expand proper participation in running the state by establishing a suitable environment for new parties for the purpose of alternating the possession of power and participating in the responsibilities of government. He pointed out that the law was designed to be modern and similar to similar laws around the world while taking Syria's characteristics into account.
