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5d ago

Syria Holds First Post-Assad Parliamentary Vote on Sunday Under Indirect System

Officials say indirect voting is a stopgap necessitated by war‑time displacement.

A torn poster of Syrian-American Jew Henry Hamra, a candidate for the Syrian parliamentary elections, lies on the ground at the Jewish neighborhood in old Damascus, Syria, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
A Syrian woman passes in front of posters showing Syrian-American Jew Henry Hamra, a candidate for the Syrian Parliamentary elections, in the Jewish neighborhood of old Damascus, Syria Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
People walk along an alley in the old city of Damascus, Syria, Oct. 2, 2025 (AP photo by Hussein Malla).
A cutout caricature shows the former Syrian president Bashar Assad sells soft drinks in the old city of Damascus, Syria, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Overview

  • About 6,000 electoral college members in roughly 50 districts are set to choose around two‑thirds of the 210 seats, with President Ahmed al‑Sharaa to appoint the remaining one‑third.
  • Voting has been postponed in the Druze‑majority Sweida province and parts of the northeast under Kurdish control, leaving an expected 19 seats vacant.
  • The interim authorities dissolved parties and opted against a popular vote, citing lost documents and the lack of reliable voter rolls after years of displacement and conflict.
  • Analysts and activists highlight opaque selection of electoral colleges, last‑minute roster changes and the rejection of independent observers, raising concerns about transparency.
  • Women make up at least 20% of candidates in only a quarter of districts, no quotas are in place for minorities, and reporting from Damascus points to sparse campaigning and low public awareness.