Post-Assad Syria: Caretaker Government Struggles to Stabilize and Rebuild

Watan-Following the fall of the Assad regime on December 8, the military operations administration decided that the “Salvation Government” in northwestern Syria, headed by Mohammad Al-Bashir, would temporarily oversee the ministries and government institutions until early March—pending the formation of a transitional government. However, the caretaker Syrian government continues to fulfill this role, as no new government has yet been formed. Several names have circulated as potential candidates for the premiership, and anticipation remains high for the government’s structure.

A constitutional declaration issued on March 13 stipulates that executive power will be exercised by the president and ministers, marking a shift in governance mechanisms due to the absence of a formal prime minister.

Rebuilding Government Function

After Assad’s fall, ministers and officials from the Salvation Government moved to Damascus to begin restoring the state’s functions and filling the vacuum left by the collapsed regime. The country was left exhausted: the economy strangled by sanctions, infrastructure in ruins, and public employee salaries barely reaching $20/month. Deep societal divisions created by the former regime also threatened renewed violence. The caretaker government prioritized preserving civil peace and stability, maintaining security, preventing total state collapse, and providing essential services.

The Ministry of Interior quickly deployed public security forces, previously active in Idlib and surrounding areas, to cities across the country—especially Damascus—to stabilize the situation and prevent retaliatory violence against communities associated with the former regime.

However, civil peace was soon threatened, particularly in Alawite-majority areas such as Homs, the coastal region, and parts of western Damascus. The Druze-majority town of Jaramana southeast of the capital also saw unrest. The government managed to contain these tensions through dialogue with community and religious leaders.

Upon taking office, caretaker Defense Minister Marhaf Abu Qasra began the difficult task of building a national army from the dozens of factions that had contributed to toppling the previous regime. This process faced significant challenges, particularly as factions in southern Syria—especially in the Druze-majority Suwayda province—remained hesitant to join the new national army. The government has continued dialogue with faction leaders to overcome these concerns.

Economy and Infrastructure

In January, the new administration announced the dissolution of Assad’s army and all factions, with the goal of forming a new national army composed of fighters from those groups as well as volunteers. Over the past 100 days, the economy has improved slightly. The caretaker government fulfilled its promise to extend electricity supply to about eight hours a day during the current Ramadan.

Caretaker Minister of Electricity Omar Shaqrouq said in a press conference last Wednesday that the country needs 23 million cubic meters of gas and 5,000 tons of fuel oil daily to provide 24/7 electricity. He confirmed that several power plants and turbines had been repaired and brought back online.

Qatar also announced a new initiative in mid-March to supply Syria with natural gas via Jordan, aiming to generate up to 400 megawatts of electricity daily in the first phase.

Simultaneously, with Qatari and Turkish support, the caretaker government rehabilitated the dilapidated Damascus International Airport. Last week, it reopened Aleppo International Airport after months of repairs and upgrades, making it ready to resume flights.

Internationally, caretaker Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shibani actively engaged in regional and global diplomacy, visiting various Arab and foreign capitals. This contributed to a partial easing of sanctions on Syria and led several countries—including Germany, most recently—to reopen their embassies in Damascus.

Challenges and Criticisms

The caretaker government, however, has largely neglected the cultural sector. The Ministry of Culture has been inactive and remains without a minister since December 8. The government also faced difficulties in media operations due to the deteriorated infrastructure, particularly at the national radio and TV authority. As a result, it has turned to private entities for technical assistance ahead of launching a new channel, Syrian News.

The government also faced backlash for altering school curricula within a month of assuming power—an action many deemed beyond its mandate. Education Minister Nadheer Al-Qadri explained in January that these changes corrected “misinterpretations” of Quranic verses in Islamic education textbooks, citing standard religious exegesis as the new basis.

Widespread protests erupted after the caretaker government laid off thousands of public employees and gave three-month paid leave to others. The government justified this by citing widespread hiring irregularities under the former regime, which had led to administrative bloat and inefficiency.

Mixed Record of Success

Political analyst Radwan Ziadeh said the caretaker government’s achievements lie in three main areas: maintaining security and stability, building trust between the new security forces and the population, and quickly restoring basic governance. He noted, however, that economic progress over the first 100 days has been limited. Instead of focusing primarily on lifting sanctions, he argued, the government should have formed an economic council to create a concrete roadmap for improving living conditions.

Political analyst Wael Alwan added that the caretaker government had planned to form a transitional government within 100 days, but this was delayed due to extended consultations. He expects a new government to be announced between 140 and 150 days after the fall of the regime—likely by May.

Alwan noted that the current administration made significant progress in restoring security through reconciliation with former regime officials and confronting factions who rejected such settlements, particularly in coastal regions. The Ministry of Interior has trained new public security officers to help maintain internal order and social peace.

He acknowledged the government’s struggle to provide services due to the collapse of essential infrastructure and identified economic recovery as the most challenging task. However, efforts in the electricity sector have begun to show promise—thanks in part to Qatari support and an agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

On March 10, Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi signed an agreement in Damascus to integrate SDF into national institutions and reject partition.

Caution Amid Optimism

Despite some progress, Syrian academic Yahya Al-Aridi issued a note of caution. He urged vigilance and accountability, emphasizing the importance of upholding the ethical foundations of the revolution. He warned against any return to the methods of the Assad regime, stating that any individual or group who enables such a regression would be complicit in it.