Article Title 
The Central Question of Decentralisation in the Arab Region

Date
26 March 2024

Credits
Omar Abdulaziz Hallaj 
Zedoun Al-Zoubi 

Link
https://www.lugarit.com/commentary/commentary-decentralization-after-the-arab-spring

Summary
The article explores the complex dynamics of decentralization in the MENA region, examining its potential to address systemic issues of marginalization and uneven development highlighted by the Arab Spring. Centralized governance has historically brought stability and development but also unchecked power and resource disparities. Decentralization emerges as a strategic pathway to enhance local governance, foster economic growth, and heal divided societies. The article reviews reforms in countries like Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, while highlighting ongoing challenges in Iraq, Lebanon, and war-torn nations like Syria, Yemen, and Libya. It underscores the need for carefully tailored decentralization processes to ensure sustainable development, stability, and a more inclusive governance model, ultimately contributing to regional peace and reconciliation.

Decentralization After the Arab Spring: Prospects for the MENA Region

Article Title 
The Paradigm of Early Recovery and Peacebuilding

Date
04 June 2024

Credits
Author: Omar Abdulaziz Hallaj
Editor: Nihad Alamiri

Link
https://www.lugarit.com/commentary/commentary-the-paradigm-of-early-recovery-and-peacebuilding

Summary
This article explores the shift towards early recovery as a new paradigm in addressing the ongoing crisis in Syria, as highlighted by recent discussions at the Brussels Conference. It examines the necessity of transitioning from a humanitarian aid focus to a strategy that leverages local resources and revitalizes the economy, while also addressing the political complexities that hinder long-term stability. The article argues for a change in mindset among Western donors and Syrian political actors, emphasizing the importance of transparency, state regulation, and inclusive solutions that prioritize the needs of the Syrian people. Practical recommendations are provided for fostering local agency, maintaining political dialogue, and incentivizing incremental progress towards recovery and peacebuilding.

The Paradigm of Early Recovery and Peacebuilding

Article Title
Democracy and Identity: A Tale of Two Regions—Europe and the Arab World

Date
15 September 2024

Credits
Author: Omar Abdulaziz Hallaj
Editor (EN): Nihad Alamiri

Link
https://www.lugarit.com/commentary/commentary-democracy-and-identity-a-tale-of-two-regions 

Summary
This article examines the ongoing democracy crisis in the Arab world, focusing on the unresolved tension between governance and collective identity. Drawing comparisons with Europe's historical democratic evolution, it highlights how Arab states, shaped by post-colonial agreements, struggle with fragile national identities. The article explores how current democratic efforts emphasize tolerance over true equality and questions whether the region will experience a long-term transition to a fully realized democratic system, similar to Europe’s gradual shift over centuries.

Democracy and Identity: A Tale of Two Regions—Europe and the Arab World

By all accounts, Bernardo Arévalo was not expected to win Guatemala's 2023 presidential election. The shock of his victory took the Guatemalan establishment by surprise, and his win has been described by Edgar Ortiz, an expert in constitutional law and political risk in Guatemala, and our guest this week, as "a glitch in the matrix."

In his efforts to address Guatemala's widespread institutional corruption, rampant extortion, and poverty reduction, Arévalo has faced stiff resistance from the Pacto de Corruptos and Consuelo Porras, the current Attorney General. Arévalo recognises the need to modernise and democratise the Guatemalan state, but with only 23 out of 160 seats in Congress, Ortiz argues that the president's democratic approach may be too idealistic. Simply acting democratically, Ortiz warns, will not bring about change in the face of an abusively legalistic regime determined to maintain the status quo.

President Arévalo's Election: A Glitch in the Matrix

Paper Title:
Moving Beyond the Legacy of Centralized Power: Multilevel Governance in Syria

Date:
23 April 2025

Publishers: 
LUGARIT + Omran Center for Strategic Studies

Authors: 
Omar Abdulaziz Hallaj + Hassan Masri

Summary:
This paper argues that Syria’s authoritarianism was upheld through systemic strategies of centralization by weakening local and regional governance. It warns against reinstating this model post-conflict and calls for an inclusive approach to reintegrating the territory. Sustainable recovery, the authors contend, hinges on empowering middle and local levels with real authority and institutional capacity.

Link:
https://link.lugarit.com/Klvn

Photo:
Syrian Parliament House. Damascus, Syria. 15 February 1955.  Photo © Camera Press / Sydney Morning Herald - via Alamy.


Moving Beyond the Legacy of Centralized Power: Multilevel Governance in Syria

Paper Title:
The Perils of Omission: What Syria’s Constitutional Declaration Fails to Say

Date:
12 May 2025

Publisher: 
LUGARIT

Authors: 
Zedoun Alzoubi (AR), Nihad Alamiri (EN)

Summary:
Issued in March 2025, Syria’s Constitutional Declaration outlines a five-year roadmap but omits key democratic principles, oversight mechanisms, and implementation timelines. This commentary identifies six critical omissions that could undermine the legitimacy and success of the country’s post-conflict political transition.

Link:
https://link.lugarit.com/qtoe

Photo:
Overview of the main hall inside the Syrian Parliament.  Photo published in Engineers' Syndicate Magazine in 31 January, 1955.  Photo via AMASyria.


The Perils of Omission: What Syria’s Constitutional Declaration Fails to Say

Paper Title:
Local Administration in Transition: Towards Inclusive and Accountable Local Governance in Syria

Date:
20 May 2025

Publishers: 
SALAR International + LUGARIT

Authors: 
Zedoun Al Zoubi, Omar Abdulaziz Hallaj, Ryan Knox, Obidah Alsayed Ali, Nihad Alamiri

Summary:
Syria’s reunification hinges on adopting flexible and inclusive local governance—not a return to centralization. This policy brief shows how Decree 107, if pragmatically reinterpreted, can bridge the current fragmented mosaic of local administration models with formal government structures, enhance accountability and stability, and foster a legitimate, resilient post-conflict transition. 

Link:
https://link.lugarit.com/HeiX

Photo: 
Marota City, Damascus — once envisioned as a model for local government financing, now stands as a stark reminder of the costs of centralized planning imposed on communities. Built on expropriated land, it embodies the disconnect between state-driven visions and local realities. 24 April 2025.  Photo © Jadd Hallaj / LUGARIT.


Local Administration in Transition: Towards Inclusive and Accountable Local Governance in Syria

العنوان 
الإدارة المحلية في المرحلة الانتقالية : نحو حوكمة محلية تشاركية ومسؤولة في سوريا

تاريخ النشر
٢٠ أيار ٢٠٢٥

الناشر 
SALAR International + LUGARIT

المؤلفون
زيدون الزعبي ، عمر عبد العزيز الحلاج ، رايان نوكس ، عبيدة السيد علي

الخلاصة
يعتمد توحيد سوريا على تبني حوكمة محلية تشاركية، لا على العودة إلى المركزية. يوضح هذا الموجز كيف يُمكن للمرسوم ١٠٧، إذا أُعيد تفسيره وطُبّق عمليًا، أن يربط النماذج الحالية المُجزأة للإدارة المحلية مع هياكل الدولة، وأن يُعزز المساءلة والاستقرار وشرعية العملية الانتقالية السياسية في البلاد.

الرابط
https://link.lugarit.com/HeiX

الصورة
ماروتا سيتي، دمشق - التي كانت تُعتبر في السابق نموذجًا لتمويل الحكومات المحلية، تُمثل الآن تذكيرًا صارخًا بتكاليف التخطيط المركزي المفروض على المجتمعات المحلية. بُنيت على أراضٍ مُصادرة، وهي تُجسد الفجوة بين الرؤى الحكومية والواقع المحلي. ٢٤ أبريل ٢٠٢٥. الصورة © جاد حلاج / لوغاريت.


الإدارة المحلية في المرحلة الانتقالية : نحو حوكمة محلية تشاركية ومسؤولة في سوريا

Paper Title:
Ballots Before Peace? Libya’s Cautionary Tale and the Syrian Dilemma

Date:
16 July 2025

Publisher: 
LUGARIT

Author (AR): Mazead Alkredy   
Editor (EN): Nihad Alamiri

Summary:
Premature elections in post-conflict settings risk deepening divisions and legitimizing authoritarian models. Drawing lessons from Libya, the article warns that Syria is not institutionally ready. It advocates sequencing reforms first—building inclusive governance, securing state authority, and embedding justice—before holding elections that genuinely reflect democratic will and support lasting peace.

Link:
https://link.lugarit.com/DXzG

Photo: A Libyan woman casts her vote during the country’s first national election in six decades—hailed as a milestone for democracy, yet unfolding amid institutional fragility and unresolved conflict dynamics.  Tripoli, Libya. 7 July 2012.  Photo © Mohammed Vlfo – via Alamy.


Ballots Before Peace? Libya’s Cautionary Tale and the Syrian Dilemma


العنوان 
الانتخابات في سياقات ما بعد النزاع: دروس من ليبيا وتحذيرات لسورية

تاريخ النشر
١٦ تموز ٢٠٢٥

الناشر 
لوغاريت 

المؤلف
مزيد الكريدي

الخلاصة
تشكل الانتخابات المبكرة في السياقات ما بعد النزاع خطراً بتعميق الانقسامات وإضفاء الشرعية على نماذج استبدادية. يستخلص المقال دروساً من تجربة ليبيا ليحذر من عدم جاهزية سوريا المؤسسية، ويدعو إلى اعتماد إصلاحات تدريجية تسبق الانتخابات، تشمل بناء حوكمة شاملة، وترسيخ سلطة الدولة، وتحقيق العدالة الانتقالية.

الرابط 
https://link.lugarit.com/DXzG

الصورة
امرأة ليبية تدلي بصوتها خلال أول انتخابات وطنية تشهدها البلاد منذ ستة عقود—خطوة اعتُبرت آنذاك علامة فارقة نحو الديمقراطية، لكنها جاءت في ظل هشاشة مؤسسية وصراعات لم تُحل.  طرابلس، ليبيا. ٧ يوليو ٢٠١٢.  الصورة © محمد فيلفو – عبر ألامي.


الانتخابات في سياقات ما بعد النزاع: دروس من ليبيا وتحذيرات لسورية

The LatinNews Podcast is a fortnightly deep dive into key developments across Latin America and the Caribbean.

LUGARIT is a small think tank active in international development.

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