A Tight Inner Circle and Parallel Structures: Sharaa Moves to Cement Control

Since assuming control of the state on December 8, Syria’s new rulers – composed primarily of Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) figures and affiliated political and military factions that once administered Idlib – have sought to tighten their grip over all aspects of governance. The country’s new leaders have established a centralised, multi-layered model of decision-making that remains opaque to the public and is not subject to any form of genuine administrative or popular oversight.