Enab Baladi -Mohammed Jaffal
The Syrian government is reopening the local administration file, as the Ministry of Local Administration and Environment begins discussing amendments to Local Administration Law No. 107 of 2011, in a move the ministry says is aimed at addressing gaps that emerged during years of implementation and strengthening the role of local councils in managing services and development.
The move comes after political debate over decentralization and federalism escalated alongside the security events Syria witnessed during 2025, beginning with the events on the Syrian coast, then the Suwayda events, and later developments in northeastern Syria. The intensity of that debate has since subsided following US mediation that ended the dispute between the government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) with an agreement now being implemented to integrate the SDF into state military and civilian institutions.
The government does not appear to be moving toward adopting a form of political decentralization. Instead, it is leaning toward broadening the scope of executive powers and resolving overlapping authority between elected local administrations and governors appointed by the central government.
This raises questions about the crisis of mistrust between the center and the peripheries, and the need to address it in order to make progress on reforming the local administration law and ensuring effective solutions that can launch a sound path toward development and good governance at the level of governorates, cities, and towns.
On March 5, the ministry announced the first meeting of the committee tasked with amending and developing the law, chaired by the deputy minister for technical affairs, as part of a legislative review process aimed at restructuring local administration in the country.
According to the ministry, the committee’s work focuses on addressing issues that emerged in the practical application of the law, such as overlapping powers among different administrative bodies, the lack of self-generated resources for administrative units, and the need to strengthen administrative decentralization and activate the role of local councils in development decision-making.
The ministry said the committee is expected to continue its work for three months, with the goal of reaching a set of legislative amendments that would improve the efficiency of local administration and resource management across governorates.
The move comes within a broader context of government measures taken in recent months, most notably a decision by Minister of Local Administration and Environment Mohammad Anjarani on February 15 to delegate several of the minister’s powers to governors, in a step the ministry said was intended to accelerate administrative procedures and enhance service decentralization.
Several service and economic ministries had previously announced the delegation of part of their powers to their directorates in the governorates, including powers related to signing contracts, personnel management, and granting some administrative approvals, as part of redistributing competencies between the center and the peripheries.
These government steps have sparked debate among researchers and political activists over the nature of the expected amendments and their ability to bring about real change in local governance in Syria, especially more than a decade after the current local administration law was issued.
Current administration, divisions, and powers
The central government remains dominant
Syria’s Local Administration Law was issued under Legislative Decree No. 107 of 2011. Its stated aim was to organize local administration and strengthen the role of local councils in planning and implementing development and service projects.
During the years in which the law was applied, a number of challenges became apparent, most notably the overlap between the powers of governors appointed by the central authority and elected local councils, and the lack of clarity over the boundaries of responsibility between executive and oversight bodies.
It also became clear that the financial resources of administrative units remained under central control, as most projects depended on financial transfers from the central government. This reduced the ability of local councils to manage independent projects or implement development programs based on the priorities of their communities.
In addition, previous laws did not provide training programs for local administrative staff in areas such as financial planning, strategic management, and project management.
There were also no clear mechanisms for oversight and accountability, which led to weak implementation of some tasks and a concentration of decision-making at the central level.
Past experience also showed that the distribution of powers was not precisely defined, especially with regard to resource management and development planning, which left many key decisions in the hands of the central authority despite the presence of elected local councils.
Reviewing the previous legal framework is an important step toward understanding the system’s strengths and shortcomings. It also forms the basis for guiding any future amendments, with a focus on enabling local councils to perform their duties within the defined legal framework, without infringing on the sovereign powers of the state.
Part of Nowruz celebrations at the western dam in al-Hasakah, northeastern Syria, March 24, 2026 (ARTA/Dilberin Mousa).
Statistics and How the System Operates
Syria has a network of administrative units that organize the management of local affairs across the country’s governorates, including governorates, districts, subdistricts, municipalities, and village local councils.
Administratively, the country is divided into 14 governorates. Each is divided into a number of districts, which are further divided into subdistricts, then into municipalities and local councils for towns and villages.
This administrative structure allows central and local authorities to manage service and development affairs through multiple levels of responsibility.
Under current laws, each administrative unit has specific powers that vary according to its size and capabilities. Governorates are responsible for general oversight of economic development and public services, while districts and local councils manage day-to-day services such as sanitation, sewage, road maintenance, and local infrastructure, in addition to regulating commercial and agricultural activity within their jurisdictions.
The work of administrative units also includes overseeing the implementation of state-funded development projects and coordinating with central authorities to ensure that plans are aligned with national policies.
Recent statistics show that the number of administrative units across governorates, districts, and municipalities exceeds several thousand, including elected local councils and the councils of small villages.
These units vary in their financial and human capacities. Some have limited own-source revenues and depend mainly on financial transfers from the central government, while others have relatively larger resources that allow them to implement independent local projects.
Administrative units operate according to a hierarchical administrative system that begins with the governorates and ends with local councils, with oversight and monitoring mechanisms exercised by higher authorities. Local councils in municipalities and villages perform two main roles:
The first is planning, by identifying the area’s needs and developing plans for local development and services.
The second is oversight, by monitoring project implementation and ensuring compliance with approved plans and allocated budgets. These councils also cooperate with civil society and local communities in setting spending priorities and implementing small and medium-sized projects.
At the level of human resources, administrative units rely on civilian employees specialized in fields such as planning, financial management, engineering, and public services.
These roles are organized within fixed administrative structures that allow tasks to be distributed across different departments and help avoid overlapping authority.
Local units are also allowed to cooperate with civil society and the private sector to expand services and develop development programs, in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations.
This shows that Syria’s administrative units form an integrated network for managing local affairs, and that their distribution and methods of operation depend on defined levels of authority and responsibility. This makes them the main driver of development and service delivery on the ground, while remaining linked to the central administrative structure to ensure coordination and alignment with national plans.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa receives a delegation from Syria’s Kurdish community at the People’s Palace in Damascus on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr and Nowruz, March 21, 2026 (Mahmoud Khalil Ali/X).
Decentralization in International Experiences
Where Does Local Administration End and Federalism Begin?
International experience in local administration offers a range of examples of different decentralization models that can be examined to understand how local authorities are organized and how powers and resources are distributed.
In many countries, governments rely on a clear separation between central and local authorities, with the powers of each level clearly defined to ensure effective governance and sustainable development.
For example, in some European countries, local authorities enjoy a high degree of autonomy in managing financial resources. Local councils can set their own budgets and determine spending priorities according to the needs of their communities, within the broader framework of national laws and policies.
These councils also oversee the implementation of projects and public services, and they have the ability to contract with the private sector or civil society organizations to improve local services.
In some Asian countries, local administration follows a flexible hierarchical model in which executive and financial powers are delegated to the local level, while central oversight focuses on coordination and guidance rather than direct administration. This model allows local councils to respond to residents’ needs more quickly and more accurately, while ensuring compliance with the state’s general plans and policies.
The experience of some countries also shows that the success of local administration depends heavily on the existence of clear mechanisms for accountability and transparency, including making financial information and development plans available to the public and involving local communities in decision-making.
This approach helps strengthen trust between authorities and society and reduces overlap in powers between different levels of administration.
Most successful international experiences share a number of key elements, most notably:
- A clear definition of powers and responsibilities between the central and local levels.
- The availability of independent or self-generated financial resources, administrative capacity, trained staff, and effective oversight and accountability mechanisms.
- The participation of civil society and citizens in local decision-making to ensure that development and services correspond to the actual needs of the population.
A comparison of these models shows that there is considerable variety in how decentralization is applied, including:
- Purely administrative decentralization: Executive authority is concentrated in local administrations.
- Financial and administrative decentralization: Local councils have the right to set spending priorities and manage resources under limited central oversight.
Regardless of the model adopted, international experience confirms that clarity in the distribution of powers and building the capacity of local institutions are key to ensuring effective local administration and achieving sustainable development.
Between Administrative Decentralization and Federalism
Administrative decentralization is an organizational and administrative concept aimed at delegating part of the powers and responsibilities from the central level to local levels, allowing local administrations to make decisions related to services and development in line with the needs of local communities.
In this context, the central state remains responsible for sovereign issues and major public policies, while local authorities manage day-to-day matters such as local planning, infrastructure, public services, and the implementation of development projects within their jurisdiction. Most administrative models stress that administrative decentralization does not mean abandoning the unity of the state or national sovereignty, but rather seeks to improve administrative efficiency and facilitate service delivery to citizens.
The forms of decentralization vary according to the nature of the powers granted, including:
- Executive decentralization: The delegation of the day-to-day management of resources and projects to local councils.
- Financial decentralization: Granting local authorities the ability to manage their own financial resources.
- Participatory decentralization: Involving civil society and citizens in local decision-making.
Together, these forms enhance the ability to respond to residents’ needs and strengthen local oversight and accountability, which helps improve administrative performance at the level of governorates and districts.
Federalism, by contrast, is a political system characterized by a distribution of powers between the central government and local governments that enjoy broad autonomy, in some cases including legislative authority within defined limits.
In federal systems, states or provinces enjoy specific constitutional rights, including authority over local policies and legislation, while preserving the unity of the state in sovereign matters such as defense, foreign policy, and currency.
Federal systems are based on a constitution that defines the relationship between the central government and federal units in a way that preserves the rights and powers of each side and prevents uncontrolled overlap in authority.
Administrative decentralization differs from federalism in that the former is usually an organizational process within the framework of a unitary state aimed at improving the efficiency of administration and local services, while the latter is a political system that regulates the distribution of power between different levels under a constitution and may involve broader legislative and political autonomy.
Even so, the two concepts may intersect in some cases, as decentralization can be used within a federal system to distribute executive and financial tasks in a manner consistent with the constitution.
Comparative studies indicate that the success of any decentralized or federal model depends on clarity in the distribution of powers, the existence of effective oversight and accountability mechanisms, and enabling local authorities with sufficient financial and human resources.
International experience also shows that effective community participation is a decisive factor in promoting stability and achieving sustainable development, whether in the context of administrative decentralization or within federal systems.
Meetings of the committee tasked with amending the Local Administration Law begin on March 5, 2026 (Ministry of Local Administration and Environment)
Conflict Over Powers and Resources
The Political Environment Matters
Powers Between Governors and Local Councils
The distribution of powers between governors and local councils is one of the main issues in discussions over amendments to Syria’s Local Administration Law, as observers say overlapping authorities have been among the biggest problems in the law’s implementation over recent years.
Bassem Hatahet, executive director of the European Institute for Political Initiatives and Strategic Analysis, told Enab Baladi that one of the main shortcomings of the current law is the ambiguity surrounding the distribution of powers between the governor and local councils.
One of the main shortcomings of the current law is the ambiguity that has surrounded the distribution of powers between the governor and local councils.
Bassem Hatahet
Executive Director of the European Institute for Political Initiatives and Strategic Analysis
He said this overlap was reflected in the performance of local administration, with many key decisions remaining in the hands of the central government despite the existence of elected local councils.
Wael Shujaa, a political activist in the Third Current in Suwayda, said any discussion of amendments to the Local Administration Law must take into account the political and social environment in which the law will be applied.
Shujaa told Enab Baladi that decentralization cannot be viewed merely as a technical adjustment in the distribution of powers between the center and the provinces, but rather as part of a broader process of rebuilding trust between local communities and the state.
He added that the success of any decentralized model requires clear powers among different institutions, as well as political and social consensus on the nature of the relationship between the center and the regions.
Decentralization cannot be seen as merely a technical adjustment in the distribution of powers between the center and the provinces, but as part of a broader process of rebuilding trust between local communities and the state.
Wael Shujaa
Political activist in the Third Current in Suwayda
In response to Enab Baladi’s questions on this point, the Ministry of Local Administration and Environment said one of the main pillars of the proposed amendments is addressing the overlap in powers between governors and local councils.
The ministry said the committee is working on a clearer legislative framework that precisely defines the duties and powers of governors on one hand, and the heads and members of local councils on the other.
According to the ministry, discussions are moving toward separating executive functions from oversight and planning functions, so local councils can focus on planning local development and overseeing executive performance, while executive bodies, under the governor’s supervision, handle day-to-day tasks.
The ministry added that the aim of this approach is to achieve integration among different levels of local administration while avoiding the overlap in powers that emerged under the law’s previous implementation.
Central control over financial resources
Researchers and specialists say the financial resources of administrative units are among the main challenges facing local administration in Syria.
Hatahet said one of the major shortcomings in the implementation of the Local Administration Law was the continued control of central ministries over financial budgets.
He explained that local administrations were unable to rely on their own resources and instead remained dependent on transfers from the central government, which limited their ability to carry out independent development projects.
He also noted that provinces’ strategic projects remained effectively subject to central government decisions, despite the decentralization law granting local administrations a greater role in managing such projects.
Khaled Jabr, a Kurdish researcher at the Orient Center for Studies and Research, said granting local administrations broader powers in resource management could help improve services.
Jabr said local authorities are often closer to community needs, making them better able to determine development spending priorities.
He added that Syria’s different regions have varying resources and needs, making broader powers for local administrations in managing resources an important step toward developing policies better suited to local realities.
In its response, the Ministry of Local Administration said the financial independence of administrative units is a priority for the committee tasked with amending the law.
The ministry said discussions include expanding the base of self-generated resources for administrative units and increasing the share of those resources managed locally.
Work is also underway to restructure the Municipal Support Fund to make it fairer and more transparent, based on objective indicators such as population density, human development indicators, deprivation levels, and the actual needs of each area.
The ministry said the goal of these amendments is to improve the distribution of resources among provinces and ensure greater fairness in financing development projects.
Powers as a condition for local councils’ role in development
Strengthening the role of local councils in development decision-making is one of the main goals of the anticipated amendments to the Local Administration Law.
Shujaa said local councils can play an important role in improving services when they have real powers and sufficient financial resources.
Local councils can play an important role in improving services when they have real powers and sufficient financial resources.
Wael Shujaa
Political activist in the Third Current in Suwayda
He said that when councils have such powers, they become capable of planning services and development according to local community priorities. He stressed, however, that the existence of local councils alone is not enough, as decentralization must be accompanied by oversight and accountability mechanisms to ensure proper resource management.
Jabr said local councils can also play an important role in achieving sustainable development when they have genuine powers in planning and resource management.
He added that such councils can identify local development priorities and implement projects that match community needs.
At the same time, he said local councils may face challenges related to limited financial resources or a lack of administrative expertise.
In its response, the Ministry of Local Administration said the proposed amendments clearly move toward giving local councils a greater role in managing local affairs.
The ministry added that it views local councils as the “true nucleus of development,” and that the amendments aim to enable them to set their own development and service priorities according to the specific conditions of each province and region.
According to the ministry, local councils will also be able to effectively supervise project implementation and follow-up, in addition to helping attract local investment and make use of natural resources available in their areas.
The ministry stressed that it does not view local councils as bodies that merely implement central directives, but as essential partners in development decision-making at the local level.
Decentralization can help enhance political stability by giving local communities a greater role in decision-making.
Khaled Jabr
Researcher at the Orient Center for Studies and Research
Dignitaries from Suwayda meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, 29 May 2025. (Syrian Presidency)
Administrative Decentralization
Between Improving Governance and Preserving State Unity
Improving Governance and Preserving State Unity
Wael Shujaa, a political activist in the Third Current in Suwayda, believes achieving this balance requires a clear principle: sovereign issues should remain under the authority of the central state, while services and development should be managed at the local level. He noted that this model is applied in many countries, where central governments handle defense, foreign policy, and macroeconomic matters, while local authorities manage services, infrastructure, and community development.
For his part, Khaled Jabr, a Kurdish researcher at the Orient Center for Studies and Research, said decentralization can help enhance political stability by giving local communities a greater role in decision-making. He added that involving local communities in managing their own affairs could help reduce political tensions and strengthen trust between the state and local communities.
In its response, the Ministry of Local Administration said the decentralization proposed in the amendments is “administrative decentralization,” aimed at improving performance and delivering services to citizens. The ministry stressed that this decentralization does not affect the unity or sovereignty of the state, as the government relies on centralization in sovereign matters, while decentralization applies to services and local development.
“The government relies on centralization in sovereign matters, while decentralization applies to services and local development.”
Ministry of Local Administration and Environment
In a statement to Enab Baladi
The ministry added that all local councils will operate within a unified legal framework defining their powers and responsibilities, ensuring their decisions remain aligned with the state’s general policy. It also said its relationship with the provinces will shift from direct tutelage to supervision, guidance, and oversight, to ensure the legality of decisions and their consistency with national plans.
Institutional challenges, legal texts alone are not enough
Experts say the success of any decentralization experiment depends not only on legal texts, but also on institutions capable of exercising these powers. Bassem Hatahet, executive director of the European Institute for Political Initiatives and Strategic Analysis, said one of the main challenges that hindered the implementation of the Local Administration Law in the past was the absence of real training programs for local administrative cadres. He noted that local administrations lacked sufficient expertise in development planning and the management of local budgets.
He also pointed to weak oversight and accountability mechanisms, in addition to the absence of clear sustainable development plans at the provincial level. He said these challenges must be taken into account when considering any amendment to the law.
In its response, the Ministry of Local Administration said transferring powers to the local level requires genuine capacity-building for local administrations. The ministry added that the committee’s vision includes launching specialized training programs for local administrative cadres in strategic planning, financial management, project management, governance, and digital transformation. It is also working to develop local planning systems and adopt participatory planning methods that involve civil society and the private sector in identifying needs.
In addition, the ministry said it is working to strengthen oversight mechanisms and activate the role of both central and local oversight bodies, while making information available to citizens and local councils to ensure transparency and accountability.
Community participation remains limited
The Syrian government links decentralization to strengthening community participation and achieving balanced development among provinces. Hatahet believes community participation within the concept of decentralized councils remains relatively limited in Syria.
He said this is partly due to weak political competition in the absence of a political parties law, as well as the relative newness of civil society’s experience in participating in public life. He also pointed to weak accountability and oversight mechanisms and the absence of a comprehensive model for decentralized governance.
In response to Enab Baladi’s questions, the Ministry of Local Administration said decentralization represents a strategic tool for achieving spatial justice and balanced development among provinces. It added that transferring powers and resources to the local level would allow each province to invest its own capacities and natural and human resources. The ministry believes this approach could transform the citizen from a recipient of services into a partner in decision-making related to the future of their area.
The ministry concluded by saying the anticipated amendments aim to build a distinctly Syrian model of local administration that benefits from successful international experiences while taking into account the specific character of Syrian society.
“The anticipated amendments aim to build a distinctly Syrian model of local administration that benefits from successful international experiences while taking into account the specific character of Syrian society.”
Ministry of Local Administration and Environment
In a statement to Enab Baladi
According to the ministry, this model ultimately aims to strengthen stability and achieve comprehensive development across Syria’s provinces.
“The anticipated amendments aim to develop a model of local administration that addresses the gaps revealed in the current law and strengthens the role of local councils in managing development and services.”
Ministry of Local Administration and Environment
In a statement to Enab Baladi
The anticipated amendments face a reality test
Amid these debates, researchers believe the success of any forthcoming amendment to the Local Administration Law remains tied to its ability to address the problems that emerged during years of implementing the current law, most notably overlapping powers and the weak financial resources of local administrations.
Hatahet said Syria’s experience with local administration has shown that legal texts alone are not enough to guarantee the actual implementation of decentralization unless they are accompanied by relative independence in managing resources and clarity in the distribution of powers between the center and local administrations.
Jabr, for his part, said expanding the powers of local administrations could help improve services and development, especially when local councils are able to determine spending priorities according to the needs of local communities. He noted, however, that the success of this approach requires addressing challenges related to weak financial resources and the lack of administrative expertise in some local administrations.
Shujaa also believes decentralization can serve as a tool to improve the relationship between the state and local communities, if implemented within a clear framework that defines powers and ensures balance between the center and the provinces, while sovereign matters remain under the authority of the central state.
By contrast, the Ministry of Local Administration and Environment says the anticipated amendments aim to develop a local administration model that addresses the gaps exposed in the current law and strengthens the role of local councils in managing development and services. The ministry says the government’s approach is based on strengthening administrative decentralization in services and development, while preserving the unity and sovereignty of the state.
Amid these proposals, observers are waiting to see what the committee tasked with amending the law will produce in the coming months, and whether the anticipated amendments will mark a step toward reorganizing the relationship between the center and local administrations, or remain limited to procedural adjustments to the existing law.
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