Everything you need to know about Syria’s first post-Assad elections

In its first elections since Bashar al-Assad’s regime fell in December, Syria will elect the People’s Assembly on Sunday.

The election is a historic moment for the new, under the leadership of President Ahmad al-Sharaa, after more than 50 years of dynastic, oppressive al-Assad rule.

The electoral process has been up for debate, though.

No general elections will be held. Al-Sharaa will choose one-third of the assembly members, while electoral subcommittees will choose the rest.

We have answers for any questions you may have. Everything you need to know about the elections in Syria is listed here:

Elections but no direct casting of ballots by Syrian citizens?

Correct.

Members will serve 2 seats in the new People’s Assembly, compared to 40 under al-Assad. 5-year terms.

The remaining 140 members will be voted on by subcommittees led by an 11-person Supreme Committee appointed by al-Sharaa.

About 6,000 electors will vote in the regional electoral colleges, making up the subcommittees.

After nearly 14 years of displaced people, the Syrian government announced that no general elections are taking place because they do not have accurate census data.

Voting will be conducted, according to Aron Lund, a fellow analyst and fellow on Syria at Century International, who spoke to Al Jazeera.

It is an indirect election that uses a select group of electors who are essentially the current rulers’ handpicked candidates. Despite Syria being thankfully free of Assad-style censorship and police state tactics, it all occurs in circumstances that make it difficult to have meaningful discussion. ”

No political parties are involved in the elections either.

Polls opened at 9am (06:00 GMT) and will close at 5pm (14:00 GMT).

How many candidates are running?

1,570 candidates were chosen by the Supreme Committee, which was appointed by al-Sharaa. Before al-Sharaa appoints the final 70 assembly members, those candidates are vying for 140 seats.

Although a draft law mandated that the electoral colleges have 20 percent of women’s voting, 3 percent for those with special needs, and a 70-to-30 split for professionals over traditional notables, there are no quotas.

A masked man shot and killed Haidar Shahin, an Alawite candidate from the Tartous governorate, on September 30 at his Tartous residence.

Shahin was killed by “remnants of the former regime,” according to the government-aligned Al-Watan newspaper on Telegram. Authorities stated that Shahin’s murder is being investigated.

When al-Assad’s supporters launched an insurrection that turned into sectarian killings in Tartous in March, there was a source of conflict there. Alawites have since reported facing discrimination and sectarian threats.

Is voting widespread?

Not yet, no. There will be no empty seats for up to 32 of the 210 members.

Syrian authorities delayed voting in three areas because they claimed the fighting between Druze and Bedouin communities’ northeast and southern regions of Suwayda, which took place in July and August, was not open to the public.

What are the Syrian people’s opinions of the elections?

There is both optimism and skepticism.

Many Syrians are still enthralled by the al-Assad family’s abdication from power and open to any resumption of its brutal rule.

Some Syrians, however, expressed distrust of al-Sharaa’s leadership and crucial role in these elections due to security concerns, including massacres in coastal governorates like Tartous and clashes in Suwayda.

Despite this, a recent poll by the Arab Center found that 61 percent of Syrians favor a democratic system that includes political pluralism and accountability.

A system without parties or elections, in contrast, according to 6 percent of respondents, and an Islamic law-based political system in which only Islamic parties are in power.

Is this just another example of one-man rule being continued?

Al-Sharaa is undoubtedly the most significant player in this process by far.

Since leading the offensive that overthrew al-Assad on December 8, he has dominated Syrian politics.

Analysts still think the elections are credible and don’t repeat the false elections that took place under the al-Assad regime.

You’ll probably see some genuinely well-known people and a lot of local celebrities appointing the top, according to Lund.

Syria needs to allow local people to communicate with Damascus’s power structure.

This shouldn’t be dismissed as theater, in my opinion. However, it is not a legitimate election because it will allow for political parties to compete for seats in an independent legislature. ”

After the elections, it’s unlikely that Al-Sharaa’s significance will change. Still, according to analysts, they could serve as the first step toward promoting a more pluralist political system.

In all fairness, I believe that Syria, one of the nations that have experienced revolutionary change, is pretty typical. What other options do you have? Lund said, “You have to start somewhere.”

You end up with something like this, which is better than nothing. ”

What follows?

By Tuesday, the election results should be made public, and the question will be how the People’s Assembly will function.

How much more power will be given to this parliament to influence politics and voice objectionable opinions than just rubber-stamping laws? Lund questioned.

Source: Aljazeera