Information
Polls have opened in government-held parts of Syria for a legislative election, the fourth to occur since the start of the ongoing war in 2011. This war began after mass anti-government protests met with harsh repression by security forces. The election campaigns have been dominated by general slogans advocating for national unity and prosperity despite the country’s ongoing conflict involving various foreign armies and jihadists. In the southern province of Sweida, there were significant calls for an election boycott, with some demonstrators actively attempting to prevent the arrival of ballot boxes at polling stations.
The Syrian government has approved 1,516 candidates to compete for the 250-seat People’s Assembly, with voting eligibility extending to Syrians aged 18 and older who possess an identity card. However, many Syrians in areas outside government control, such as the Kurdish-controlled northeast, Idlib, or regions along the northern border controlled by Ankara-backed rebels, cannot vote. Additionally, millions of Syrian refugees abroad are unable to participate. Historically, Syrian elections yield predictable outcomes, with the Baath party, led by President Bashar Assad, ensuring a sufficient number of loyal candidates to maintain control. Analysts predict that the new parliament will likely pass a constitutional amendment extending Assad’s presidency beyond the current term limits ending in 2028.
Source: AFP, AP
So what
Regardless of what the Syrian government claims, it is highly unlikely that this election will bring about any change in the country; this can be indicated by the small number of “approved” candidates. While some small-scale protests have been reported, anything of any size would likely be quickly stamped out, with government security forces not wanting to let anything gain momentum. Additionally, while some international supporters of Syria may use these elections to call for normalisation in relationships, Western states are highly unlikely to make such moves.
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