Syria's parliamentary elections; Ahmed al-Sharaa to determine one-third of seats

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - International Service: Syria is set to hold indirect elections tomorrow (Sunday, October 5) to form its first parliament since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, a step that the interim government is calling a key step in the transition of power, amid concerns about political exclusion under the country's new leadership.

 

The vote comes as Syria's self-styled interim president seeks to consolidate control over a country that has been embroiled in 14 years of war and conflict and has recently been rocked by a wave of sectarian violence.

 

Election Structure and Nominations

According to published reports, the elections will be held indirectly; regional electoral boards with 6,000 voters will elect two-thirds of the 210 parliamentary seats, with al-Jolani personally choosing the remaining one-third.

 

Syrian authorities have announced that they have abandoned holding general elections due to the lack of reliable demographic data and the displacement of millions of Syrians. A committee appointed by al-Jolani has so far certified the qualifications of 1,570 candidates.

 

Al-Jolani, who was previously the leader of the al-Nusra Front in Syria, split from the group in 2016 to form Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a group that, in an alliance with other factions, overthrew the Assad regime last December.

 

Areas excluded from voting

For security and political reasons, the Syrian interim government has decided to postpone elections in northeastern Syria (controlled by the Kurds) and the province of Sweida (controlled by the Druze militias). As a result, 19 of the 210 parliamentary seats will remain vacant.

 

Critics say the indirect and limited voting is not truly representative of the people and the process is too centralized.

 

The city of Deir ez-Zor is a prime example, divided by the Euphrates River into two halves: a government-controlled western part where voting is taking place, and a Kurdish-controlled eastern part that is excluded from the vote.

 

“I am not satisfied that there is an election on that side and not on this side. We want something that serves the whole region. Syria must be united.”

 

Absence of women and minorities

 

Critics have also complained about the lack of gender, religious and ethnic diversity, and said that no quotas were set for gender or minority segregation.

 

“If the president appoints people who are under his influence, he can issue laws through presidential decrees, without parliament having the power to reject or amend them,” wrote Hayed Hayed, a senior researcher at the Arab Reform Initiative.

 

“This process could legitimize a fragile transition or deepen doubts and reduce its chances of success,” he added.

 

Amer al-Sabaila, a strategic expert and political analyst, also told FRANCE 24 that the Syrian parliamentary elections were merely “a symbolic step that does not represent the reality of all segments of the Syrian people and all regions of the country.”

 

He added that the new Syrian government needs this vote “to complete its international legitimization process, because steps must be taken to legitimize its presence; therefore, these elections are more of a message to the outside world than to the inside world.”

 

He noted that even before the situation in Syria was fully clarified and the demands for democracy and genuine representation of all segments of the population and their participation in governing the country were met, the United States had preemptively lifted the sanctions it had imposed on Damascus during the Assad regime.

 

Limited powers of the parliament under the Syrian interim constitution

According to the declaration of the interim constitution issued in March 2025, the Syrian parliament has limited powers. The government is not required to obtain a vote of confidence from the parliament and the parliament can only propose and approve laws. The parliament’s term is 30 months and can be extended, and it will be responsible for making laws until a permanent constitution is approved and general elections are held.