Three days ago Bashar al-Assad appointed a new government of 30 ministers, following the parliamentary “elections” in July. Here are some quick thoughts on the new cabinet (some information is still pending confirmation)

• 47% of the ministers are new (53% from the previous government); most key positions stayed with the same ministers from the former government (see the infographic).

• While the Ba’ath party holds 70% of the positions, other puppet political parties of the “National Progressive Front” hold four ministries (13.3%), three of which are “state ministries” without portfolio, which gives them virtually no influence over the work of the government.

• Three key under-representations emerged:

1) The already-miserable female representation became slightly less miserable in the new government, rising from two ministers (6.6%) in the former government to three in the new government (9.9%).

2) Alawite Muslims have a much greater representation (20% of positions) than their share of the population (nearly 10%, World Fact Book). As a result, other minorities such as Christians hold no positions in the new government.

3) While Kurds represent nearly 10% of the population, they hold only two ministries (6.6%).

• A comment on the Makhloufs: Ehab Makhlouf (Rami’s brother) was awarded the public investment contract for the country’s duty-free companies in late August. Prior to that, Rami Makhlouf was the operator of the same contract before he fell out of grace.

• Awarding the contract to Ehab could be seen as an attempt from Assad to reward Ehab for taking his side against Rami in the recent spat.

• I also believe it was an attempt from Assad to appease the Alawites in general and the influential Makhlouf clan in particular, who fear that their business clout could be waning as Rami’s star abates.

• Keeping Hussein Makhlouf in the new government as the Local Administration Minister confirms yet once more that Assad’s problem is only with Rami, not the Makhlouf clan as a whole.

• As stated, some info was “pending confirmation.” In light of some corrections from activists (Ayman Abdel Nour and others), I've corrected 8 pieces of information (out of the 150 in the infographic):

—The religion of four ministers

—The political party of two

—The race of one