ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Syria’s Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Thursday signed the country’s draft Constitutional Declaration, over three months after toppling the Bashar al-Assad regime.

Sharaa hoped that the draft sets the country on a path toward development and becomes “a new history for Syria, one in which we replace ignorance with knowledge and suffering with mercy.”

The committee tasked with drafting the declaration explained that it stipulates “freedom of opinion, expression, information, publication, and the press,” and emphasizes the state’s commitment to the unity of Syrian territories, the people, and cultural differences.

“We were keen to include a special chapter on rights and freedoms to create a balance between societal security and freedom,” the committee noted.

The declaration also guarantees the right to property ownership, as well as the political rights of women and their right to education and participation in the workforce, according to Syrian state media. The importance and independence of judges has also been highlighted.

The People’s Assembly will assume full legislative duties and will also be in charge of the dismissal, expulsion, and reduction of the powers of the members of parliament.

“We chose a political system based on the complete separation of powers,” said committee member Abdulhamid al-Awak, adding “in previous constitutions, the text served the dictator, but today the work of all authorities is monitored by the people.”

The declaration sets the transitional period at five years, during which the president of Syria would assume executive authority and is granted the right to declare a state of emergency.

“The People's Assembly will have no authority over the presidency during the transitional period,” said Awak, but stressed that “the presidential political system outlined in the draft Constitutional Declaration does not allow one authority to remove another.”

An 11-day sweeping rebel offensive spearheaded by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led by Sharaa, brought a five-decade-long rule of the Assad family to an end on December 8.

Sharaa, also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Julani, was officially declared as the Interim President of Syria in a ceremony in late January, during which it was also announced that the 2012 constitution would be abolished and a new one would be drafted for the new era in Syria.