Randa Kassis (Arabic:رندة قسيس) is a Franco-Syrian politician, journalist, and anthropologist. She founded and has led the Movement for a Pluralistic Society since 2012. Kassis was a member of theSyrian National Council from 2011 until her expulsion in 2012. She also chaired the Coalition of Secular and Democratic Syrians, a coalition formed outside the SNC in 2011 to unite parties opposing the Assad regime.[1][2][3]
Kassis was a member of theSyrian National Council (SNC) until her expulsion in August 2012.[3][21][22] In 2011, she became chairwoman of the Coalition of Secular and Democratic Syrians, a Paris-based alliance of Muslim, Christian, Arab, and Kurdish parties advocating for minority support against the government ofBashar al-Assad.[23][24][25] She was expelled from both the SNC and the Coalition due to concerns raised over the increasing influence of Islamist factions within the opposition.[26][21]
Following her departure from these groups, Kassis founded the Movement for a Pluralistic Society.[12] In 2015, she launched the Astana Platform to bring togethermoderateSyrian opposition figures.[6][27] While some observers regarded this initiative as a constructive effort to facilitate dialogue,[6][28][29] others criticized her for perceived close ties to Russia.[30]
Kassis has publicly supported theRussian intervention in the Syrian civil war.[30] On 11 October 2016, she met withDonald Trump Jr. at theHôtel Ritz Paris, where she stated that "without Russia, we can’t have any solution in Syria."[31] This meeting was later referenced by theU.S. House Intelligence Committee during investigations into contacts between associates ofDonald Trump and individualslinked to Russian interests.[32] Kassis, known to have a close relationship with Russian Foreign MinisterSergey Lavrov, attended an event at the Ritz Paris on 11 October 2016, shortly before the U.S. presidential election. There, Donald Trump Jr. delivered a speech for theCenter of Political and Foreign Affairs. Subsequently, Kassis reportedly traveled toMoscow, claiming she could act as a secret communication channel between the Trump administration and Vladimir Putin concerning Syria’s political future.[33]
Randa Kassis participated in the 2016Geneva III peace talks as part of the Moscow/Astana group.[34] She served as co-president of the delegation alongside Syrian politicianQadri Jamil.[35] Kassis advocated for a political transition that involved cooperation with the Assad government and supported the Russian military intervention in Syria, positions that drew criticism from some factions within theSyrian opposition.[36]
In 2017, Kassis convened a group of Syrian opposition members, academics, and constitutional experts to begin drafting a new constitution for Syria. This effort was supported by French constitutionalist Xavier Latour, former Turkish Foreign MinisterYasar Yakis, and former Italian Foreign MinisterGiulio Terzi di Sant'Agata.[37][38][39]
On 30 January 2018, Kassis and other members of the Astana Platform participated in the Syrian National Dialogue Congress as part of the presidential committee. She emphasized the formation of aSyrian Constitutional Committee as a necessary step for advancing the Syrian peace process, which was later established in 2019.[40][38] In October 2018, Kassis worked to bring together various factions of the Syrian opposition to develop a roadmap for peace. The resulting document was drafted by opposition representatives who had been invited to Rome by theCommunity of Sant'Egidio, aCatholic organization with close ties to theVatican.[41][42]
Following thefall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Kassis returned toDamascus in January 2025 with her husbandFabien Baussart. During this visit, they met with PatriarchJohn X and SheikhHikmat al-Hijri, the spiritual leader of theDruze community, to discuss current developments and the future of Syria.[43] Kassis has publicly expressed opposition toAhmed al-Sharaa and the new Syrian authorities, characterizing them as a "radical regime" that could lead to renewed dictatorship and civil conflict. She has also voiced concerns regarding the new government’s approach toward minority groups.[44]
^Kassis, Randa (2014).Le chaos Syrien. Paris: Editions Dhow. p. 320.ISBN979-1093501031.
^Kassis, Randa (June 8, 2016).COMPRENDRE LE CHAOS SYRIEN DES RÉVOLUTIONS ARABES AU JIHAD MONDIAL (TOUC.ESSAIS ed.). France: L'artilleur. p. 438.ISBN9782810007318.
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