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Syrian Federation
The Syrian Federation (Arabic: الاتحاد السوري; French: Fédération syrienne), officially the Federation of the Autonomous States of Syria (French: Fédération des États autonomes de Syrie), was constituted on 28 June 1922 by High Commissary Gouraud.[3] It comprised the States of Aleppo, Damascus, and of the Alawites,[4] spanning an area of 119,000 to 120,000 km2.[5] It was officially dissolved by decree of 5 December 1924 "which received its application starting on 1 January 1925".[6] HistoryThe Syrian Federation was founded on 28 June 1922 as a result of Decree 1459 from the High Commissioner of the Levant, Henri Gouraud.[7] It comprised the states of Aleppo, Damascus, and the Alawites, spanning an area of 119,000 to 120,000 km2.[8][9] The federation's government consisted of the President of the Federation and the Federal Council, which initially alternated between sitting in Aleppo and Damascus.[10][11] Homs was also considered a potential capital city.[12] The first session of the Federal Council opened in Aleppo on 28 June 1922 with a speech from Gouraud.[13] On 8 January 1923 Damascus became the permanent seat of government, creating divisions in the country's political leadership.[11] The Syrian Federation's only president was Subhi Bey Barakat, who claimed in his first three presidential decrees to have been elected by the Federal Council on 29 June, 1922.[14] However, according to Syrian historian and jurist Edmond Rabbath, Barakat was in fact "ineligible in the year following the end of his presidency" and therefore "appointed and not elected."[15] Barakat was nevertheless formally elected president by the Federal Council on 17 December 1923.[16] The Syrian Federation was officially dissolved by Decree 2980, which was issued on 5 December 1924 by High Commissioner Maxime Weygand and took effect on 1 January 1925.[17] The decree merged the states of Aleppo and Damascus into the State of Syria and named Barakat president of the new country.[18] GovernmentThe President of the Federation was elected by an absolute majority of the Federal Council and held office for a term of one year. Afterwards, the president would be ineligible for re-election for one year following their departure from office.[15] They exercised executive powers such as the preparation of the federal budget, the nomination of government officials and the negotiation of treaties with non-federated states, all subject to the ratification of the High Commissariat of the Levant. The Federal Council was a deliberative body composed of five representatives. It studied proposals leading to the adoption of legislation and dealt with economic affairs, such as public works.[19]  References
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