DAMASCUS – Syria began the process on Sunday to select members for a transitional parliament, a move heavily criticized as undemocratic and designed to consolidate the power of interim leader Ahmed Al Sharaa following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.
The 210-member assembly is set to exercise legislative functions until a permanent constitution is adopted. However, the process is far from conventional, as the system ensures Al Sharaa’s control:
- One-third (70 members) will be appointed directly by Al Sharaa.
- The remaining two-thirds will be selected by local committees chosen by an electoral commission named by Al Sharaa.
Key Issues and Exclusions
- Undemocratic Critics: Rights groups argue the process allows Al Sharaa to “effectively shape a parliamentary majority.” A retired civil servant in Damascus admitted, “these aren’t real elections,” but called the assembly a “necessity in the transitional phase.”
- Excluded Regions: Two significant regions are excluded from the process—the Druze-majority Sweida province and the Kurdish-held northeast—leaving 32 seats empty as they are outside Damascus’s current control.
- Candidates: Over 1,500 candidates are running, including Syrian-American Henry Hamra, the first Jewish candidate since the 1940s.
- Final List: The final list of the new members, selected by approximately 6,000 committee members, is expected to be announced on Monday.
