Civic Spaces in Syria’s First Year of Transition: Challenges, Ambiguities and Future Opportunities

Author: Mazen Gharibah

This report examines the shifting role of civil society in Syria’s early post-Assad period, tracing the rapid contraction of civic space following the March 2025 coastal attacks. Initially, communities and civil society organisations (CSOs) filled governance vacuums by delivering relief, basic services, and inter-communal dialogue. That opening has since narrowed as sectarian violence spread and the transitional government adopted a rushed, centralised, and exclusionary approach. Selective disarmament, tolerance of allied armed groups, and opaque decision-making have eroded trust and revived perceptions of authoritarianism.

CSOs are advocating for a new regulatory framework based on acknowledgement rather than restrictive licensing, yet the transitional authority is increasingly bypassing organised civil society in favour of one-to-one consultations and an emphasis on Al Mujtama’ al Ahli (“communal society”) rooted in religious, sectarian, and tribal ties. This shift marginalises civic actors and privileges loyalty and identity over participation and organisational capacity.

Constraints on CSOs are tightening across three fronts: regulatory ambiguity, spatial restrictions on public activity, and political exclusion from core transitional forums. Since March 2025, human rights and justice initiatives face heightened obstruction unless aligned with economic priorities. These pressures are compounded by donor risk aversion and rigid compliance standards that exclude grassroots actors most embedded in local communities. Meanwhile, the growing influence of Idlib-based networks and the ambivalent role of economic elites further reshape an uneven and politicised civic landscape.

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