Elections in Syria; The Next Parliament May Facilitate the Extension of Assad's Rule

Syrian citizens voted for members of the country's new parliament, an event expected to pave the way for constitutional changes and an extension of Bashar al-Assad's presidency. This election, held on Monday, is the fourth voting event in Syria since the widespread protests against Assad's government in 2011 and its bloody crackdown, which led to a civil war. Although the civil war in Syria has subsided, the country is grappling with an economic crisis, and southern Syria occasionally witnesses anti-government protests. This parliamentary election took place across the country except for the northwestern and northeastern regions, which remain under the control of rebels and Kurdish forces supported by Washington. Western countries and opponents of Bashar al-Assad claim that the voting in government-controlled areas of Syria is neither free nor fair. This year, 1,516 candidates approved by the Syrian government are competing for 250 parliamentary seats. In the previous parliamentary elections held in 2020, the announcement of results was delayed for several days due to what Syrian officials termed technical problems. The Ba'ath Party, led by Bashar al-Assad, won 166 seats in that election. Another 17 seats were held by Assad's allied parties, while the remaining 67 seats went to independent candidates. The elections on Monday occurred amidst a deteriorating Syrian economy following years of civil war, Western sanctions, the COVID-19 pandemic, and reduced international aid. The value of the Syrian pound against the dollar has reached its lowest point, causing inflation in food and fuel prices. Given that Bashar al-Assad's presidential term ends in 2028 and the current constitution prevents him from retaining power, it is expected that with the Ba'ath Party's victory in this election, the next Syrian parliament will make constitutional changes to enable his continued rule.