Syria Counts Votes In Historic Post-Assad Parliamentary Elections – What You Need To Know | World News

Sam: Syria has been counting votes after the first parliamentary elections since Bashar al -Assad in December 2024. The surveys closed on the evening of October 5 after voting hours in big cities, including Damascus.

The elections are a historical milestone, of the new government, which has ended Assad family administration for more than a year and tested the new government under the administration of President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

Syrians voted for two -thirds of the 210 -person People’s Assembly. One third of the seats are appointed directly by Sharaa, while the remaining seats are filled by regional election bodies and sub -committees within the scope of a 11 -member Supreme Committee.

The system is based on approximately 6,000 voters, and after years of war and displacement, there is no popular votes throughout the country due to the lack of reliable census data.

A total of 1,578 candidates competed for 140 selected seats. Women made up 14 percent of the candidate pool. The observers of diplomatic tasks and the Ambassadors of accredited followed the vote in central polls, including the national library in Damascus.

President Shara called on the polls center to shape the Syrians to shape the new country and to express the hope that the parliament would deal with the vital legislation, approve the budget and represent the interests of the citizens.

The Assembly will serve 2.5 years. Although there are no political parties and the debate is limited, the political environment is more free than Assad’s censorship heavy regime. Some seats in the Kurdish controlled regions and in the southern province of Suwayda could not be appealed due to ongoing unrest, and 32 seats were temporarily left empty.

Security difficulties continued. Haidar Shahin, a candidate from Tartous, was killed among sectarian tensions days before the vote. Other parts of the country remain cautious, reflecting past violence and attacks on minorities.

Despite these concerns, public support for democratic reform is strong. While surveys prefer a pluralistic system with the majority of Syrians, smaller groups support Islamic law -based governance or limited political competition.

Sharaa continues to be a central figure in Syria’s transition policy. Analysts argue that elections can raise local leaders and important people and provide communities connect to central power in Damascus.

Although the Assembly is not able to challenge the authority of the President, the process represents the first step towards establishing a more pluralistic political framework after decades of authoritarian administration.

The final results are expected until Tuesday, October 7. The observers will monitor whether the People’s Assembly has used the real legislative force, or if they have functions to approve government decisions first. The elections are seen as an early stage in Syria’s post -revolutionary political reconstruction and pave the way for future competition and representative governance.