Syria Has Held Parliamentary Elections For The First Time After Over A Decade Of Authoritarian Rule
The election on Oct. 4 was led by interim president Sharaa’s government. He said the new parliament would be a start in “national reconciliation”.
Syria held its first parliamentary election since former president Bashar Al-Assad’s regime was toppled and the country was liberated in December 2024.
The election held on Sunday, Oct. 4, was the first parliamentary election under the new interim government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, marking a historic event after a decade of brutal war and authoritarian rule.
Sharaa said the new parliament would “lay the foundation for a national reconciliation process.”
However, Syrian people didn’t get to vote directly.
70 seats of the 210 seats of Parliament were directly appointed by Sharaa.
The rest of the 140 seats were elected by local electoral colleges or subcommittees made of about 6,000 people appointed by the government as well.
The voting also did not cover all regions too as it was postponed indefinitely in Sweida province and Kurdish-controlled areas due to ongoing tensions and conflicts, according to the New York Times.
The government said Syrians are not voting for candidates directly because the country still faces significant administrative challenges, including many people still do not have identification and many are still displaced from their homes.
Authorities said this system was designed to “ensure regional balance” and “prevent factionalism.”
However, rights groups said it concentrated power in the presidency and excluded most citizens from meaningful participation.
Opposition figures called it “managed democracy,” pointing out that most candidates were former bureaucrats or military-linked independents.
“This is not a revolution’s parliament — it’s a reshuffle,” said Lina Hassan, a political researcher in Beirut. “The system changed its face, not its structure.”
Ballot counting is expected to take several days, but early reports suggest that pro-government candidates are set to dominate the chamber.
The new parliament will serve a 30-month term while preparing for future elections and will be tasked with passing a new elections law and constitution
It is expected to convene by Oct. 20 to begin drafting constitutional reforms.
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Cherry Mohamed
Cherry Mohamed
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