On the day of the parliamentary elections in Syria, more than 8,000 polling stations opened at 07:00 local time in Damascus and other cities across the nation. The Supreme Judicial Committee for the Control of Elections, the election committee, announced that 1,516 candidates representing all regions are vying for the 250 parliamentary seats. Predictions suggest that the composition of the parliament could undergo a significant change, with more than 50% of seats potentially being renewed.
The National Unity coalition, which secured victory in the 2020 elections, is considered the frontrunner. The coalition's list includes 168 candidates from the ruling Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party and 16 allies from the Progressive National Front. President Bashar al-Assad is the secretary-general of the Ba'ath, held power since March 8, 1963.
The voting is taking place in most Syrian regions. Over 70 polling stations in the neighboring provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, and Hama have been established for residents in Idlib and border areas under Turkish control, which are outside government control. Additionally, 90 polling stations have been designated for displaced voters from the Kurdish-controlled province of Raqqa.
According to the constitution approved by referendum on February 26, 2012, parliamentary elections will be conducted on a multi-party basis. Over 19 million Syrian citizens aged 18 and above are eligible to vote. The People's Council is elected through a universal, direct, and secret ballot for a four-year term. The quotas for workers and peasants, which have been in place since the establishment of Arab socialism in Syria, remain unchanged, with 127 seats in Parliament.
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Photo: anjči/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on materials from TASS