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The rehabilitation of Syria鈥檚 ex-jihadist president

Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa is due to hold the country's first elections since the fall of the Assad regime. How will they shape Syria's future?

After getting the red-carpet treatment at the UN in New York last week, the former al-Qaeda fighter who now leads Syria is about to hold an election. But is Syria鈥檚 new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, really about to transition the country into democracy? Or does he have other plans?

The 麻豆社's senior international correspondent Orla Guerin joins us from Damascus, where she鈥檚 been speaking to Syrians about the country鈥檚 future.

Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Valerio Esposito
Executive producer: James Shield
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior News Editor: China Collins

Image: Syria鈥檚 President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Khalil Ashawi / Reuters

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29 minutes

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  • Wed 1 Oct 2025 10:32GMT
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