■ Syria

In response to months of persistent demonstrations, uprisings and violence, the Syrian state has engaged in a number of reforms. In February 2012, a committee of experts that was appointed specifically for the purpose of drawing up a new constitution for the country submitted its final draft to the president. The draft was published shortly thereafter and is set to be put to a referendum within weeks. Sources that are close to Syria’s ruling party have hailed the draft as a major advance towards achieving genuine democracy and satisfying protesters’ demands. Others have retorted that the draft amounts to little more than window dressing and will make little or no difference to the manner in which Syria and Syrians are governed.

Amidst increasing human casualties in what has virtually become a civil war, the regime of President Bashar Al Assad - which protesters are demanding to step aside - has issued a draft Constitution which it is proposing to put to referendum later this week. The draft Charter proposes to abolish the one party state dominated by the Baath party for the last forty years, and to establish a multi-party system.  Multi- party elections will then be held within four months of the referendum vote.

Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad has addressed the possibility of changing Article 8 of the Syrian constitution, which makes the Ba’ath Party the “leader of the state and society”. The future of Article 8 has long been a subject of debate among analysts. Doing away with Article 8 is seen as necessary to end the Ba’ath Party’s monopoly on political power - a key demand of protesters and Syrian opposition.