Dr. Muhammad Ghazi Al-Jalali: The First Prime Minister from Golan

Appointment and Background

After discussions with the central leadership of the Arab Socialist Baath Party, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad issued a decree on Saturday appointing Dr. Muhammad Ghazi al-Jalali to form a government in Syria.

Dr. Muhammad Ghazi Al-Jalali was born in 1969 in Damascus. He received a degree in civil engineering from Damascus University in 1992 and a doctorate in engineering economics from Ain Shams University in Cairo in 2000. He served as Minister of Communications and technology from 2014 to 2016, after which he moved to the position of president of the Syrian Private University in 2023, and recently his name appeared again in the Central Committee of the “Baath” party election.

First Prime Minister from Golan

It is worth noting that al-Jalali hails from a village in the occupied Golan and was the first person from the Golan to be tasked with forming a government during the reign of al-Assad, father and al-Assad, the son.

Recruitment was done through consultation

Official media announced Saturday evening that Baath Party Secretary-General President Bashar al-Assad consulted with the party’s central leadership on appointing a prime minister to form a new ministry to replace the caretaker government. He resigned after the assembly elections in mid-July last.

It is expected that the new government will submit a ministerial statement to the Gana Sabha for discussion after formation.

Criticism of the previous government

The change in government comes amid criticism of the work of the previous governments of Hussein Arnas, who took office in 2020 and 2024, in light of the imposition of international economic sanctions on Syria, the “Caesar” sanctions law. pressures and the high pace of growth in the region, which contributed to weakening the government and making it… unable to curb price increases, especially after the government approved a plan to remove subsidies on energy and basic materials to compensate for part of the deficit in the general budget.

Hossein Arnas justified his government’s poor performance before the People’s Assembly “as a result of objective circumstances beyond the state’s control, the existential war to which we are exposed, imposed by unjust foreign sanctions, control over its resources and weak resources.”

Government Formation and Expectations

It is worth noting that Muhammad Ghazi al-Jalali’s assignment to form the government was not a surprise, as party and local media sources had previously expected him to be elected.

It is the first time Damascus has announced consultations on appointing a new prime minister, as for nearly five decades consultations on government formation have taken place within the inner circle of power and away from the media.

Since President Bashar al-Assad took power in 2000, prime ministers have been selected from among former government members, governors or ex-ambassadors who have administrative and ministerial work experience and who are informed by the relevant security services and are often members of the central leadership of the Baath Party. » or Central Committee.

Conclusion

The appointment of Dr. Muhammad Ghazi Al-Jalali as the new Prime Minister of Syria marks a significant change in the country’s government. With his background in engineering economics and his experience in various government positions, he is expected to bring a fresh perspective to the role. However, the challenges facing the new government are significant, and it remains to be seen how they will address the economic and social issues facing the country.