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National Progressive Front (Syria)

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National Progressive Front
الجبهة الوطنية التقدمية
PresidentBashar al-Assad
Vice-PresidentMohammad al-Shaar[1]
FounderHafez al-Assad
Founded1972
Dissolved11 December 2024
HeadquartersDamascus
IdeologyNeo-Ba'athism
Arab nationalism
Arab socialism
Pan-Arabism
Secularism
Anti-Zionism
Factions:
Political positionBig tent
Factions:
Centre-left to far-left
Party flag
Flag of Ba'athist Syria
Website
pnf.org.sy

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]

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

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The 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

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The NPF was composed of the following political parties and associated organisations:

Party Ideology
Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party[21] Neo-Ba'athism
Pan-Arabism
Syrian Social Nationalist Party[21] Syrian nationalism
Secularism
Arab Socialist Union Party[21] Nasserism
Arab nationalism
Syrian Communist Party (Bakdash)[21] Communism
Marxism–Leninism
Socialist Unionist Party[21] Nasserism
Arab socialism
Syrian Communist Party (Unified)[21] Communism
Marxism–Leninism
National Covenant Party[21] Arab socialism
Pan-Arabism
Arab Democratic Union Party[21] Nasserism
Arab nationalism
Democratic Socialist Unionist Party[21] Nasserism
Arab socialism
Trade unionism
Arab Socialist Movement[22] Neo-Ba'athism
Arab socialism
Social Democratic Unionists Social democracy
Trade unionism
Associated organisations
General Federation of Trade Unions[21] Trade unionism
Workers' rights
General Union of Peasants[21] Trade unionism
Agrarianism
Revolutionary Youth Union[23] Neo-Ba'athism
Youth activism

Electoral history

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Syrian People's Assembly elections

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Election Seats +/– Position
1973
186 / 186
 New 1st
1977
195 / 195
 Increase 9 Steady 1st
1981
195 / 195
 Steady Steady 1st
1986
195 / 195
 Steady Steady 1st
1990
250 / 250
 Increase 55 Steady 1st
1994
250 / 250
 Steady Steady 1st
1998
250 / 250
 Steady Steady 1st
2003
250 / 250
 Steady Steady 1st
2007
250 / 250
 Steady Steady 1st
2012
168 / 250
 Decrease 82 Steady 1st
2016
200 / 250
 Increase 32 Steady 1st
2020
183 / 250
 Decrease 17 Steady 1st
2024
185 / 250
 Increase 2 Steady 1st

See also

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Notes

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References

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  1. ^ "الجبهة الوطنية التقدمية". pnf.org.sy. Mohannad Orfali-. Archived from the original on 2021-07-12. Retrieved 2019-08-23.
  2. ^ "Is Syria socialist? 2022 Guide". Young Pioneer Tours. 2022. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ 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)
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ Seale, Patrick, Asad, the Struggle for the Middle East, University of California Press, 1989, p. 176
  12. ^ "Syrian Arab news agency - SANA - Syria : Syria news ::". Archived from the original on 2011-08-05. Retrieved 2013-07-15.
  13. ^ "Syrian Arab news agency - SANA - Syria : Syria news ::". Archived from the original on 2011-08-05. Retrieved 2013-07-15.
  14. ^ "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.
  15. ^ "SSNP Supports Bashar al-Assad's Presidential Nomination". 7 May 2014. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  16. ^ "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.
  17. ^ "Baath Party Of Syria's Assad Says Suspends Work Indefinitely". Barron's. 11 December 2024.
  18. ^ "A statement issued by the National Covenant Party". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
  19. ^ "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.
  20. ^ "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.
  21. ^ 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.
  22. ^ 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.
  23. ^ "الهيئة العامة للإذاعة والتلفزيون - سورية". Archived from the original on 2019-09-06. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
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