Syria: shattering scramble within the ruling clan

Audio 02:23

By: Bruno Daroux Follow

Back on the resounding disgrace of the richest businessman in Syria, Rami Makhlouf, cousin of the president, who was considered one of the indestructible pillars of the Syrian regime, and who has just been the subject of a seizure of his property, ordered by the government of Bashar al-Assad.

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In an opaque political system like that of Syria, the reasons for such disgrace are not said openly. But this brutal quarrel between Bashar al-Assad and his cousin Rami Makhlouf is first of all a silver scramble, which partly explains the speed of Rami Makhlouf's disgrace. Tuesday, May 19, the Minister of Finance therefore ordered the seizure of the property of the wealthy businessman.

It is the last episode of the unexpected disadvantage of the one who was considered, until last summer, as an intimate of the Assad clan, the childhood friend and cousin of the president.

It all started last August, when the government toughened its tone against several businessmen, including Rami Makhlouf, officially in the name of the fight against corruption. This “clean hands” operation, so to speak, is notably supported by Bashar's wife, Asma el-Assad. She is then violently taken to task on social networks, accused of spending fortunes. The best defense being the attack, the regime decides to give a signal, but chooses to attack, not the first lady, but these businessmen to whom he has however given carte blanche for years to put the Syrian economy in regular cut. But with two essential counterparts: total loyalty to the state apparatus and the obligation to finance the regime, by paying back to the latter part of the wonderful profits they make.

Rami Makhlouf is said to control up to 60% of the Syrian economy

Rami Makhlouf is the epitome of this business class. Thanks to the goodwill of his cousin, he acquired a number of companies privatized by Bachar since the 2000s. And he would control today up to 60% of the Syrian economy - from telecoms to construction, via real estate and petroleum trading.

What to believe untouchable. And the tycoon begins to say loud and clear that, concerning the financial requirements of the regime, the addition becomes too salty. Fatal error, which Makhlouf is paying dearly for today. This affair therefore reveals a ruthless system, but also a regime whose need for money to end its dirty war has become exponential.

A regime finally at bay, which owed its survival only to the sponsorship of two foreign powers, Iran and Russia. They are now lobbying, especially Russia, for the regime to invest quickly in rebuilding infrastructure, and then get their share of the economic pie. All these factors explain this chronicle of lightning disgrace in a system that is at the same time relentless and out of breath.

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• Syria
• Bashar al-Assad
• Russia
• Iran

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Damascus orders the seizure of the property of Rami Makhlouf, the cousin of Bashar al-Assad