The coalition was recognized by several United Nations member states, by the European Union and by the Arab League as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people.

Though it established contact with the Free Syrian Army and tried for a time to monitor it through the Supreme Military Council, the SNC initially suffered from a lack of presence on the ground,[3] from internal infighting and from rivalry between foreign powers for influence over it.

However, as the civil war was in deadlock and the peace negociations failed to produce results, the SNC lost clout and came to be considered mostly as Turkey's relay of influence.

This caused new dissent within the Syrian National Council, as spokespeople for that organization decried what they called "direct tutelage" by the United States.

Seif presented his proposal to the Syrian National Council in september, but his colleagues were deeply divided and delayed making a decision.

[3] At its creation in November 2012 the National Coalition elected former imam of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Moaz al-Khatib, considered a moderate as its president, Riad Seif and Suheir Atassi, both prominent democracy activists and the latter a secular human rights advocate, as vice-presidents and Mustafa Sabbagh as secretary-general.

[11] Members of the Syrian National Council included George Sabra,[11] Burhan Ghalioun,[11] Abdulbaset Sieda,[11] Louay M. Safi and Randa Kassis (later chairwoman of the Russian-supported peace talks platform in Astana).

When the coalition's general assembly met in Cairo on November 29 to activate its operational structures and approve its statutes, National Council members and associates accounted for 60 percent of those present.

[17] At a conference held in Istanbul on 19 March 2013, members of the National Coalition elected Ghassan Hitto as prime minister of an interim government for Syria.

[18] On 31 May 2013, the coalition gave membership to 15 representatives of the Free Syrian Army, allowing for the first Time direct representation of rebels operating in Syria.

[19] On 25 September 2013, some Islamist factions rejected the Syrian National Coalition stating that "All groups formed abroad without having returned to the country do not represent us.

He resigned 10 months later, due to health issues and conflicts with his Turkish-backed vice-president Abdurrahman Mustafa, president of the Syrian Turkmen Assembly.

Syria Direct reported that al-Bahra's return as president had been imposed by members of the SNC close to the Turkish government, notably Abdurrahman Mustafa.

Notably, the United States cut off in 2019 all financial and diplomatic aid and political cover from the SNC after Turkey launched its offensive into north-eastern Syria.

[27] Following the election of the Coalition's president, several pro-Islamist media outlets have signalled their approvals for the formation of the new revolution bloc under the leadership of Sheikh Moaz Al-Khatib.

Answering questions on his students' portal EsinIslam of The Awqaf London the London-based Damascene graduate African Muslim cleric, Sheikh Dr. Abu-Abdullah Abdul-Fattah Adelabu called upon the Islamists and their affiliates to support the coalition's leadership.

[30] On 21 November 2012, the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), which controls territory in the north of Syria, rejected the new coalition and criticised it for "obedience to Turkey and Qatar".

[32] According to The Economist, as of late September 2013, "In the month since America backed away from missile strikes to punish Syria's regime for using chemical weapons, the Syrian Opposition Coalition has become increasingly irrelevant.

"[33] In October 2013, the Supreme Military Council of the Free Syrian Army, led by Salim Idris, met with Ahmad Jarba, then the president of the SNC.

[39] On 23 November, Qatar asked the coalition to appoint an ambassador, becoming the first Arab country to publicly announce it will accept an envoy from the new opposition body.

[45] In May 2023, as part of the normalization of diplomatic relations with the Syrian Ba'athist governement, the Assad regime was reinstated in Syria's seat in the Arab League.

[46] In December 2024, after the fall of the Assad regime, coalition president Hadi al-Bahra called for a an 18-month transitional period to rebuild Syria's institutions and economy, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2554.