Summary
Syria is holding elections for the People's Assembly, the first since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December. Elections are not determined by direct voting from citizens; instead, part of the assembly will be appointed by President Ahmad al-Sharaa. Security concerns and the lack of universal voting have sparked debate about the electoral process.
Key Facts
- The election is Syria's first since the Assad regime ended in December.
- The People's Assembly will have 210 seats, which is 40 fewer than before.
- President Ahmad al-Sharaa will appoint 70 members, while 140 will be selected by subcommittees.
- Voting is not done by the public directly; it involves around 6,000 electors.
- No general vote is held due to a lack of reliable census data after years of conflict.
- Some areas, like Kurdish-controlled regions and Suwayda, are not participating in this election phase.
- The assembly has 1,570 candidates approved to run for election, competing for 140 seats.
- A candidate was recently killed in Tartous, and violence in this area has affected perceptions of the elections.
