Kurds aim to push federal system in future Syria

QAMISHLO,— Kurdish leaders in autonomous administration in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava) are preparing to call for a federal system of government in the post-Assad era, which would provide the Kurdish regions with greater autonomy and local security forces, a senior Kurdish official confirmed in an interview with Reuters.

This move represents a clear challenge to the current Islamist transitional government of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who has staunchly opposed federalism and instead advocates for a more centralized model of governance.

The call for federalism has gained increased support as Syria’s minority groups, particularly Kurds, have expressed alarm over the recent violence against Alawites in western Syria.

Kurdish political groups have accused Sharaa and his Islamist supporters of undermining the country’s diversity, saying the transitional government has failed to deliver on promises of inclusivity and instead seeks to consolidate power.

Kurdish factions across Syria, including the dominant group in the Kurdish-majority northeast, have come together to adopt a shared political framework that emphasizes the need for a federal system, according to Kurdish officials.

Although the proposal has not yet been publicly released, the alignment signals a strong push for greater Kurdish self-rule in Syria’s future.

During the ongoing civil war, Kurdish forces, primarily the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the United States, have gained control of significant swathes of territory across northern and northeastern Syria.

Last month, the SDF signed a deal with the Syrian government that seeks to merge Kurdish administrative structures and security forces into a national framework.

However, Kurdish officials have expressed concerns about how Sharaa’s administration — which is heavily influenced by Islamist factions — is managing the political transition following the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad.

Badran Jia Kurd, a senior official within the Kurdish-led autonomous administration, confirmed to Reuters that all major Kurdish factions in Syria had agreed on a “common political vision,” which includes a strong endorsement of federalism.

This marks the first time that a Kurdish official has publicly confirmed the push for federalism since the Kurdish factions reached their agreement last month.

Kurdish leaders have historically refrained from using the term “federalism” in public statements, preferring to speak about decentralization or autonomy within the framework of a unified Syria.

Their message has always been clear, however: they seek a greater degree of self-governance for Kurdish regions, not full independence.

Sharaa, who has dismissed federalism as incompatible with Syria’s unity, reiterated his opposition to the idea during an interview with The Economist in January, arguing that it does not have popular support and could lead to the fragmentation of the country.

The Kurdish population in Syrian Kurdistan, largely composed of Sunni Muslims, speaks a Kurdish language related to Farsi and resides in a region that spans the borders of Iraqi Kurdistan (Bashur), Turkey Kurdistan (Bakur), Iranian Kurdistan (Rojhelat), and Armenia.

In neighboring Iraqi Kurdistan, the Kurds have established a semi-autonomous region with its own government, parliament, and military forces.

In his comments to Reuters, Jia Kurd stressed that the central issue for Syria’s future would be to respect the political, cultural, and administrative uniqueness of each region. He emphasized the need for local legislative councils, regional executive bodies, and regional security forces, arguing that such structures must be enshrined in Syria’s new constitutional framework.

The renewed push for federalism among Kurdish leaders follows widespread condemnation of the recent violence against Alawites, which some have linked to the ongoing political crisis.

Hundreds of Alawites were killed by ruling Islamist militias in western Syria in March in a series of revenge attacks allegedly following an assault on Assad loyalists.

Kurdish leaders see the violence as a reflection of the deepening sectarian divides in the country and have argued that a federal system could help to preserve Syria’s unity while accommodating its diverse ethnic and religious groups.

Suleiman Oso, the leader of the Kurdish National Council (ENKS), a small rival Kurdish group that is backed by Iraqi Kurdistan’s Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP), which belongs to ruling Barzani family, said he expected the joint Kurdish vision for a federal Syria to be publicly unveiled by the end of April.

The ENKS group, which holds limited support among Syria’s Kurdish population, is often seen as a political instrument backed by Turkey and the Barzani family to counter the influence of the PYD in the Syrian Kurdistan.

With little real authority or popular backing on the ground, the ENKS is frequently characterized as a fragmented organization that does not accurately represent the broader Kurdish sentiment in Syrian Kurdistan.

Oso, whose group has close ties to Turkey, also pointed out that many Syrians, particularly those from minority groups, are increasingly viewing federalism as the most viable solution to the country’s political and ethnic challenges.

“We believe that a federal system is the optimal way to preserve Syria’s unity,” Oso said. “Syria is a diverse country, home to many ethnicities, religions, and sects, and we believe that federalism provides a framework for accommodating that diversity.”

As the Kurdish-led administration prepares to officially announce its vision, Kurdish representatives are expected to present their demands to the central government in Damascus in the coming weeks.

While Sharaa’s government has opposed federalism, it remains to be seen whether the Kurds will be able to push forward with their agenda amid the complex political landscape of post-Assad Syria.

In 2018, the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria was established in Syrian Kurdistan. Since its inception, the administration has taken charge of implementing the principles of democratic confederalism across the municipalities and regions in northeastern Syria.

The Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration, widely recognized for its governance model, operates with a secular and decentralized approach to self-rule. It prioritizes gender equality, direct democracy, and environmental sustainability as core values.

(With files from Reuters | Agencies)