jilipark Syria’s New President Pledges Unity in First Address

The newly appointed president of Syria, Ahmed al-Shara, pledged in a speech on Thursday to create an inclusive transitional government that reflects Syria’s diversity and that will lead the country until it can hold “free and fair elections.”

The speech was Mr. al-Shara’s first public address since his rebel coalition toppled the country’s longtime dictator, Bashar al-Assad, last month and came amid growing unease among some Syrians over his coalition’s plans for leading the country.

“Building the nation is our collective responsibility,” Mr. al-Shara said in the five-minute video address broadcast by Syrian state media. “This is a call to all Syrians to participate in building a new homeland, one that will be governed by justice and consultation.”

The speech came a day after his rebel coalition declared Mr. al-Shara president of Syria for a transitional period and announced a series of other critically important decisions, including nullifying the Constitution and dissolving the legislature and army that were formed under the ousted dictatorship.

The declarations placed control over the formation of a new state firmly in Mr. al-Shara’s hands for the foreseeable future. Mr. Shara has not said how long this transitional period would last, and it was not immediately clear whether his appointment had broad support across a diverse range of armed factions outside of his coalition.

“It’s a very centralized,PHMoba authoritarian, top-down approach,” said Dr. Salam Said, a Syrian researcher and former lecturer at the Free University of Berlin, describing Mr. al-Shara’s appointment as president. “Progressive Syrians and others are really worried about their role and their participation in this new state,” she added. “They feel left behind in all of these decisions.”

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The Republican preparations have taken place at Mr. Vance’s home in Cincinnati and in online sessions with members of his own inner circle and Jason Millerjilipark, a Trump campaign strategist. Mr. Vance’s team also pointed to his frequent media interactions on the campaign trail as helpful prep for the debate spotlight. Mr. Vance has offered a potential preview of his debate strategy by repeatedly questioning Mr. Walz over his military service and attacking him as an out-of-touch liberal.