Syria Holds First Parliamentary Elections in Years, But Key Provinces Sit Out
Damascus, Syria – syria held its first parliamentary elections in years on Sunday, a vote the government portrays as a step towards stability, but one largely overshadowed by exclusions and ongoing security concerns.While voting took place across government-controlled areas, meaningful portions of the country - including the provinces of raqqa, Hassakeh, and Suweida - were excluded from the process due to ongoing instability.
the Higher Committee overseeing the elections cited “security and political situation” as the reason for leaving 20 seats allocated to these provinces vacant. Raqqa and Hassakeh are largely controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led militia alliance currently in negotiations with the interim government over integrating its forces and institutions into the state, following a March agreement.
Government officials have defended the limited scope of the elections, citing the challenges of holding a fully representative vote during a period of ongoing conflict and displacement. “As a transitional period, there is a difficulty to hold popular elections due to the loss of documents, and half of the population is outside of Syria, also without documents,” explained Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Abdul Salam sharaa, in a televised interview, referencing the millions of Syrian refugees.
though, the exclusions have drawn sharp criticism from opposition groups. Thouraya Mustafa of the Kurdish democratic Union Party (PYD) condemned the process, stating it reflected “the same mentality as the previous authoritarian mentality.” “we see exclusion and denial of the rights of the Syrian people, such as elections. Therefore, the Syrian interim government does not represent the will of the syrian people,” she told Reuters.
The elections also come amidst continued tensions in Suweida province, where the government’s authority remains limited following sectarian violence three months ago. Clashes between Druze militias and Sunni Bedouin tribes resulted in over 1,000 deaths, predominantly among the Druze population, according to monitoring groups, prompting government intervention.
Residents in government-held areas expressed skepticism about the legitimacy of the vote. Hussam Nasreddin, a resident of Jaramana, a predominantly Druze suburb of Damascus, described the process as ”more like an appointment.” “The People’s Assembly should be elected by the people and it should represent the people,” he told Reuters. “Today we don’t know anything. We did not see any lists or representatives.We didn’t see anything.”
The outcome of the elections and the future of representation for excluded regions remain uncertain, highlighting the deep divisions and ongoing challenges facing Syria as it attempts to navigate a path towards political resolution after years of civil war.
