Damascus: Syria has completed its first transitional parliamentary elections since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government, but questions of transparency have emerged after interim leader Ahmad Al-Sharaa directly appointed 70 members.
According to international media reports, the elections were held months after Assad’s ouster in December, marking the end of a 13-year civil war. The new assembly will consist of 210 seats—140 filled through local committees and 70 appointed by Al-Sharaa himself.
More than 1,500 candidates participated, with only 14% women representation. However, the Druze-majority Suwayda province and the Kurdish-administered northeast did not take part in the process, leaving 32 seats vacant.
Ahmad Al-Sharaa stated that direct elections are currently not feasible due to millions of displaced citizens and refugees lacking the necessary identification documents.
The transitional parliament will hold legislative authority for 30 months, after which a permanent constitution will be drafted and new elections held.
Human rights organizations have criticized the process, arguing that it could consolidate Al-Sharaa’s power further and marginalize ethnic and religious minorities within the country’s political system.
