Syria to hold first election after Al-Assad in September

Shafaq News – Damascus

Syria is set to hold parliamentary elections from September 15 to 20 with more seats and outside monitoring, the chairman of the Supreme Elections Committee confirmed on Sunday.

The Head of the Supreme Committee for People’s Assembly Elections, Mohammad al-Ahmad, told Syria’s state-run SANA that the revised system increases the number of assembly seats from 150 to 210, with 70 members to be directly appointed by the president.

He noted that the allocation of seats will reflect population figures from Syria’s 2011 census, leading to expanded representation for several provinces.

The Transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa, during his meeting with al-Ahmad, stressed the importance of conducting elections in all Syrian provinces, reiterating his rejection of any form of division—an approach he described as universally opposed by the Syrian people. He also emphasized the exclusion of individuals who supported “criminal elements” or promoted sectarianism and separatism.

Following the signing of the electoral decree, the committee will have one week to form local subcommittees, which will then be given 15 days to select the voting bodies. Afterward, candidate registration will open, with nominees granted one week to prepare their platforms before engaging in debates with selection bodies and subcommittee members.

Al-Ahmad indicated that at least 20 percent of the electorate bodies will include women, reflecting efforts to promote gender inclusion in the voting process.

The elections will be monitored by domestic observers and international organizations, coordinated by the Supreme Electoral Committee. Authorities will also guarantee the right to challenge candidate lists and final results, he added.