Randa Kassis

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 the Syrian 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.

Kassis is married to French businessman Fabien Baussart, founder of the think tank Center of Political and Foreign Affairs, which maintains connections with Russia. Baussart is noted in France for his close ties to the Kremlin and Russian business circles. Kassis chaired peace talks held in Astana, Kazakhstan in 2015; however, these talks did not result in a resolution to the conflict. The fall of the Assad regime occurred later, following offensives led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in 2024.