President Asad appointed Mohammed Naji al-Otari as the country’s new prime minister on 10 September, leaving the way open for the appointment of a new cabinet. Al-Otari, parliamentary speaker and a former deputy prime minister, replaces Mohammed Mustafa Mero.

The new member has a reputation as a moderniser, and his appointment is viewed as an attempt to accelerate economic reform. The previous government was widely criticised for moving too slowly on the reform programme. Economy Minister Ghassan al-Rifai said in early September that a raft of new legislation was in the pipeline aimed at liberalising the economy and improving the investment climate.