13 Facts About Burhan Ghalioun

Burhan Ghalioun is a French-Syrian professor of sociology at the Universite de Paris III Sorbonne University in Paris, and the first chairman of the Syrian National Council.

Burhan Ghalioun studied sociology and philosophy at the University of Damascus.

In 2005, Burhan Ghalioun returned to political activity in the period of the Damascus Declaration.

Burhan Ghalioun argued that Syrian opposition groups should avoid alliances with Western governments against the government, but rather work from within.

When Syria saw the first popular protests in March 2011 as part of the broader Arab Spring, Burhan Ghalioun immediately supported the protesters in the media.

Burhan Ghalioun was named its head and was viewed as a leader who could work with both Western governments and Syrian Islamists.

Burhan Ghalioun initially opposed the militarization of the opposition, preferring to work to a negotiated solution to the crisis.

Burhan Ghalioun was named for an additional three-month term in February 2012, a decision which caused several member organizations to resign from the council in protest.

Burhan Ghalioun's resignation was welcomed by some SNC members but criticized by others, who felt that resigning immediately following his re-election gave the SNC a further appearance of being in disarray.

Burhan Ghalioun met with rebels and activists, and stated that he concluded from his visit that Assad had "lost control on the ground".

Burhan Ghalioun has generally avoided association with political movements such as Nasserism, Islamism, or Communism.

Burhan Ghalioun sees democracy as "a panacea for the Arab world" and a "historical necessity", arguing that Arab governments have failed to build successful nation states out of their nationalist movements, and that opposition to those governments must center on demands for democratic reforms.

Burhan Ghalioun stated that if the SNC took over Syria it would end the military relationship to Iran and cut off arms supplies to Hezbollah and Hamas.