Syrian cabinet approves drafting multi-party law

The Syrian cabinet set late Sunday a draft law providing for the enactment of a multi-party law that would allow a political pluralism in a country having been under the Baath party rule for 40 years.

The official SANA news agency said the draft law includes the principals and the terms of how the party would be formed and how to function.

A complete revision of the Syrian constitution, mainly the abrogation of the article providing the Baath party the leader of the state and society, topped the demands of the protesters that have been in streets since mid-March, calling for more freedom and wider reforms.

The Baath party took over power in Syria following a 1963 coup. President Hafez al-Assad, who died in June 2000, came to power seven years later. His son, Bashar, succeeded him in 2000.

Speaking to supporters at the Damascus University, al-Assad announced last month that a national dialogue would start soon and he has been forming a committee to study the constitutional amendments, including one that would open the way for forming political parties other than the ruling Baath party.

Source:Xinhua

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