let's bring in a christian helberg an expert on syria kristen thanks for joining me when bash said came to power 20 years ago he was held as a reformer today become tree is largely in ruins an estimated 400000 people have been killed in the war and half the population is displaced how is assad still able to hold on to power. 1st of all i think this was a misunderstanding from the beginning because. as. well as subtended to reform the country to make it to the credit system for example that he wanted to modernize and this is what he did especially by liberal by liberalizing the economy but still actually what he didn't change is the very nature of this regime the regime in syria has replaced the state and this is important to understand because all institutions like the parliament the military the administration the judiciary they also have this one goal the preservation of power so until now assad really depends on loyalty this loyalty is enforced by means of fear this is where he needs a very strong intelligence that the wages and the secret services in more powerful than ever and it i

and you run that was syria analyst christian helberg speaking to us in atlanta this is day to day you news are here's a reminder of the top story we're following for you the sound germany's chancellor i'm going to michael is chairing and e.u. summit in brussels aimed at bridging differences over a khurana recovery plan member states that deeply divided over the conditions for handouts from 750000000000 euro folks. will have more headlines at the top of the out until then check out our website data dot com thanks very much watching see. combat in the corona pandemic. where does research stand. what are scientists learning. background information and. our corona update. from the covert 19 special the next on d w. a meal. call complete 2nd season only. it's about the environment it's still about society it's still about a little planet on the brink spoke to circle leading experts in the fish. hook up just a couple of ribs. after calling 900 cases are spiking again in some regions and the fears of a 2nd wave are real the list of authorities around the world reimposing coronavirus ning to

earlier we spoke with a christian helberg some expert on syria and we also how stable assets hold on power after 9 years of civil war that left more than $400000.00 syrians dead and the country in ruins. well actually quite quite at the beginning of his power everybody was hoping for reforms and i think this was the 1st mis understanding that bashar never came to power to reform the country to make it a democracy or to modernize the country so why is he still there i mean this question very important because you have to look at the inner structure of this regime this regime has replaced the state which means that all the institutions the parliament the judiciary ministration the military all of these state institutions serve the preservation of power of us and there is not a ton of power center in the country with for example the military like in egypt so this is nothing can get dangerous for us how to myself and until now as has power is built on loyalty so he in forces loyalty by means of fear so this is why he needs the intelligence operators which is very important to us power an