The EU must support the political transition and reconstruction of Syria

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament.

Parliament urges the EU and members states to support Syria’s transitional forces and calls on Damascus to end historical alliances with Tehran and Moscow.

Concerned about stability in Syria and in the Middle East, MEPs want the EU to “seize this historic opportunity to support a Syrian-led political transition in order to unite and rebuild the country”. In a resolution adopted on Wednesday, they praise the “bravery, dignity and resilience” of the Syrian people. Parliament calls on the EU and member states to help Syria’s authorities in the country’s reconstruction.

This transition should, they say, bring together all of the disparate elements of Syrian society, in particular all religious and ethnic groups, women, and peaceful opposition forces.

MEPs note the “fragile security situation” in Syria, in particular in the country’s coastal area, and condemn the revenge killings of members of the Alawite community, due to its association with former dictator Bashar al-Assad.

Messages to Damascus, Teheran and Moscow

MEPs want Syria’s new authorities in Damascus “to break free from its notorious long-standing alliances with Tehran and Moscow, which “have brought suffering to the Syrian people and destabilisation to the Middle East and beyond”. They appeal to the Syrian authorities to revoke Russia’s military presence in Syria and condemn Moscow for hosting Bashar al-Assad and his family, shielding them from justice.

Parliament also calls on neighbouring countries to respect Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, and to cease immediately all attacks on, and occupation of, Syrian territory.

Frozen Assad assets to reconstruct Syria

With 500,000 people internally displaced and 90% of the Syrian population living in poverty, MEPs want the EU and member states to continue their humanitarian aid efforts, and financially support the five neighbouring countries hosting 5.5 million Syrian refugees. MEPs welcome the allocation of EUR 235 million in new humanitarian support and call on the EU to help reconstruction efforts in the energy, water supply, healthcare and education sectors.

MEPs also want the EU to explore the use of frozen assets of the Assad regime to fund reconstruction, rehabilitation, and the compensation of victims.

The resolution was approved by 462 votes in favour, 76 against and 106 abstentions.

For more details, please consult the complete text (12/03/2025)

Background

The EU has promised to support a Syrian-led, inclusive political process with a government respectful of all parts of Syrian society. As part of the efforts to assist Syria’s path to recovery, the EU suspended a number of restrictive measures against the Assad regime in February 2025.