Syria sets October date for first election since al-Assad's fall

"Syria will elect a new People's Assembly on October 5, the first parliament to be chosen since the fall of Bashar al-Assad late last year. The vote for members of the parliament will take place across all electoral districts, the state-run SANA news agency reported on Sunday. The announcement comes as the new government seeks to rebuild state institutions and gain legitimacy amid regional and international efforts to stabilise the war-battered country."

"A third of the assembly's 210 seats will be appointed directly by President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The rest will be chosen by local committees supervised by the electoral commission. The chamber will be tasked with approving legislation aimed at overhauling decades of state-controlled economic policies and ratifying treaties that could reshape Syria's foreign policy. The new parliament is also expected to lay the groundwork for a broader democratic process following al-Assad's removal in December after nearly 14 years of civil war, SANA said. Critics, however, warn that the current system does not adequately represent Syria's marginalised communities."

"Authorities had initially said the vote would take place in September. The electoral commission previously indicated that polling in the provinces of Suwayda, Hasakah and Raqqa would be delayed because of security concerns. Suwayda witnessed clashes in July between Druze fighters and Sunni Bedouin tribes, while Hasakah and Raqqa remain partly under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces."

Syria will hold elections for a new People's Assembly on October 5, the first nationwide parliamentary vote since Bashar al-Assad's fall. One third of the assembly's 210 seats will be directly appointed by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, with the remaining seats selected by local committees under the electoral commission. The parliament will approve legislation to overhaul state-controlled economic policies, ratify treaties that could change foreign policy, and help establish a path toward broader democratic processes. Polling in Suwayda, Hasakah and Raqqa may be delayed for security reasons. A constitutional declaration preserves a central role for Islamic law while guaranteeing women's rights and freedom of expression, though opponents warn it concentrates power.

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