2 0 1 7 ) ▁ ▁Organ ization ▁The ▁party ▁is ▁organized ▁along ▁Len in ist ▁lines , ▁a ▁policy ▁stem ming ▁back ▁to ▁Af la q ▁and ▁B itar ' s ▁leadership ▁before ▁the ▁split . ▁The ▁highest ▁organ ▁of ▁the ▁party ▁is ▁the ▁Party ▁Congress . ▁The ▁Congress ▁elect s ▁a ▁General ▁Secretary ▁and ▁a ▁National ▁Command . ▁Under ▁the ▁National ▁Command ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁Regional ▁Command ▁for ▁each ▁state ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁party ▁oper ates . ▁The ▁regions ▁are ▁divided ▁into ▁branches , ▁which ▁are ▁divided ▁into ▁companies . ▁A ▁branch ▁consists ▁of ▁two ▁or ▁more ▁companies . ▁A ▁company ▁compr ises ▁three ▁to ▁seven ▁cells . ▁Each ▁cell ▁has ▁between ▁three ▁and ▁seven ▁members . ▁ ▁In ▁theory , ▁the ▁National ▁Command ▁of ▁the ▁party ▁is ▁the ▁emb ry onic ▁government ▁for ▁the ▁entire ▁Arab ▁nation . ▁The ▁body ▁compr ises ▁ 2 1 ▁members , ▁half ▁of ▁whom ▁are ▁Sy rian . ▁In ▁practice , ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁Regional ▁Command ▁is ▁the ▁more ▁powerful ▁institution ▁inside ▁the ▁party . ▁The ▁Sy rian ▁Regional ▁Command ▁is ▁the ▁real ▁political ▁leadership ▁in ▁Sy ria ; ▁the ▁power ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Command ▁has ▁become ▁more ▁symbol ic ▁than ▁real . ▁A ▁seat ▁in ▁National ▁Command ▁has ▁become ▁a ▁s ine c ure , ▁an ▁honor ary ▁post ▁given ▁to ▁Sy rian ▁polit icians ▁as ▁they ▁ret ire ▁from ▁active ▁political ▁life . ▁Ha fe z ▁al - Ass ad ▁rarely ▁had ▁time ▁to ▁attend ▁National ▁Command ▁meet ings . ▁Instead ,