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The News
Widespread protests erupted across the streets and squares of Syria last month in response to the government's decision to raise fuel prices again, an action described by citizens as the largest manifestation of anger since President Ahmed al-Sharaa assumed power two years ago. The demonstrations witnessed tire burning and road blockades accompanied by popular appeals denouncing the economic deterioration suffered by the people.
The protesters clarified that the price hike came within the context of a series of other measures that led to a cost-of-living crisis, where the prices of almost everything rose, including bread, whose price has increased tenfold since the political change. One participant noted that citizens now fear what new decisions might bring each morning, while another described this sudden surge in fuel prices as evidence of the government drifting away from the reality of its people.
In an attempt to calm the situation, authorities canceled the fuel price increase decision after days of renewed protests demanding immediate action. However, the ongoing economic crisis has weighed heavily on Syrian families, forcing many to reduce their consumption of food and essential goods due to rising living costs and declining real income.
Fatemeh Saleh Eid, a cleaning worker at Souq Miftah in a Damascus suburb, said her family now lacks the ability to buy meat and poultry and is limited to consuming vegetables, which have also become expensive. She added that she hopes prices will drop in the future, while dozens of neighbors of various ages gathered around her, all agreeing on their suffering under these harsh conditions.
Speaking about his financial situation, citizen Marwan Bashour, a public sector employee, said his monthly salary does not exceed $90, which is insufficient to cover his basic needs. He explained that he sometimes had to borrow money or sell items from his home, such as old pots and furniture, to meet his daily expenses, while many humanitarian organizations stopped providing aid due to funding shortages.
Dr. Hayd Hayd, a Syrian columnist residing in London, said that a large part of the population has ended up in a worse situation than before the fall of the Assad regime due to new policies that failed to consider their impact on people. He pointed out that the economic crisis represents one of the most dangerous issues facing the current government, believing that some followed policies contribute to worsening the situation rather than solving it.
Samir Aita, Syrian economist and head of the Arab Economists Circle, added that the current crisis is a mix of government policies and unrealistic expectation management, creating unfulfillable hopes. He concluded that continuing on this path without change could lead to uncontrollable chaos if the adopted economic approach is not adjusted.
Analysis & context
Analysis & Context
From an analytical perspective, this situation represents a major challenge for the new Syrian government, where President Sharaa's administration faces a dilemma between the necessity of economic reform and price liberalization on one hand, and maintaining social stability and preventing further protests on the other. Experts like Dr. Hayd Hayd believe part of the crisis is linked to new policies moving toward a free economy that fail to account for their direct impact on people.
In the broader context, UNDP estimates indicate that 90% of Syrians were living in poverty last year, making any price increase extremely dangerous. Additionally, the US-Iranian war negatively affected energy markets, with the government stating that part of the fuel price hike was due to pressure on energy markets stemming from this conflict.
It is worth noting that the World Bank estimates the cost of rebuilding Syria at approximately $216 billion, a huge amount that Syria cannot afford without external assistance and foreign investment. However, large parts of the country remain in ruins after a war that killed half a million people and displaced half the population, making economic recovery an extremely difficult task.
Finally, Samir Aita, a Syrian economist who heads the Arab Economists Circle, said the crisis is a mix of policies, unrealistic expectation management, and creating false hopes. If these policies do not change, he fears they could lead to chaos that threatens the stability of the country emerging after the long civil war.
