The leader of Syria's Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, addresses a crowd in Damascus' landmark Umayyad Mosque on Dec. 8, 2024. (Credit: Abdulaziz Ketaz/AFP)
The question is now on everyone's lips. In light of the changing balance of power in Syria, rumors abound as to whether the commander-in-chief of the new administration, Ahmad al-Sharaa, will become Syria’s next president. Better known by his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, Sharaa has gradually re-tuned his discourse and his titles, moving from jihadist leader to leader of Jabhat al-Nosra, then to leader of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and, currently, to head of the new Syrian administration.And in the elections scheduled in a few months’ time, he could also run for the presidency, following the adoption of the necessary constitutional amendments. His positions already suggest that he is capable of handling the situation with pragmatism and openness, while building relationships with other states. HTS members and their allies in...
The question is now on everyone's lips. In light of the changing balance of power in Syria, rumors abound as to whether the commander-in-chief of the new administration, Ahmad al-Sharaa, will become Syria’s next president. Better known by his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, Sharaa has gradually re-tuned his discourse and his titles, moving from jihadist leader to leader of Jabhat al-Nosra, then to leader of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and, currently, to head of the new Syrian administration.And in the elections scheduled in a few months’ time, he could also run for the presidency, following the adoption of the necessary constitutional amendments. His positions already suggest that he is capable of handling the situation with pragmatism and openness, while building relationships with other states. HTS members and their allies...
