What to expect as Syria holds first parliamentary elections since Assad's ouster

"Under the 50-year rule of the Assad dynasty, Syria held regular elections in which all Syrian citizens could vote. But in practice, the Assad-led Baath Party always dominated the parliament, and the votes were widely regarded as sham elections. Outside election analysts said the only truly competitive part of the process came before election day with the internal primary system in the Baath Party, when party members jockeyed for positions on the list."

"The elections to be held on Sunday, however, will not be a fully democratic process either. Rather, most of the People's Assembly seats will be voted on by electoral colleges in each district, while one-third of the seats will be directly appointed by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa. Despite not being a popular vote, the election results will likely be taken as a barometer of how serious the interim authorities are about inclusivity, particularly of women and minorities."

"The People's Assembly has 210 seats, of which two-thirds will be elected on Sunday and one-third appointed. The elected seats are voted upon by electoral colleges in districts throughout the country, with the number of seats for each district distributed by population. In theory, a total of 7,000 electoral college members in 60 districts chosen from a pool of applicants in each district by committees appointed for the purpose should vote for 140 seats."

Syria is holding parliamentary elections for the first time since the December rebel offensive that unseated longtime leader Bashar Assad. The Assad-era elections were regular in appearance but dominated by the Baath Party, with internal party primaries representing the only competitive element. The current elections will not be fully democratic: two-thirds of the 210-seat People's Assembly are to be elected by electoral colleges while one-third will be appointed by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa. District seats are allocated by population and about 7,000 electoral college members across 60 districts are to elect 140 members. Elections in Sweida and parts of the northeast have been postponed.

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