logo
Syria to hold first parliamentary elections since the fall of al-Assad

Syria to hold first parliamentary elections since the fall of al-Assad

Euronews2 days ago
Syria will hold its first parliamentary elections since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad, with voting scheduled to take place between 15 and 20 September, the head of the election organising body told state media on Sunday.
Mohammed Taha al-Ahmad, chairman of the Higher Committee for People's Assembly Elections, confirmed the dates to the state-run SANA news agency.
The elections will be held under the authority of interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who took power following a rapid rebel advance that ousted al-Assad in December.
One-third of the 210 seats in the new assembly will be appointed directly by al-Sharaa, while the remaining two-thirds will be filled through provincial-level elections.
In an interview with the Erem News website, committee member Hassan Al-Daghim said that electoral colleges would be established in each province to oversee the voting for the elected seats.
A temporary constitution, signed by al-Sharaa in March, established a People's Committee to serve as a transitional parliament until a permanent constitution is enacted and full national elections are held, a process expected to take several years.
The announcement comes amid heightened political uncertainty and deepening divisions over Syria's new leadership, particularly after a wave of violence, between the Bedouin and Druze communities, erupted in Suwayda earlier this month.
Clashes between the two groups spiralled into heavy fighting that left hundreds dead and threatened to destabilise the postwar transition.
Though Syrian government troops intervened, their actions have been criticised. Some government forces allegedly sided with the Bedouins, reportedly carrying out executions against Druze civilians and looting homes in Druze areas.
The violence also drew in Israel, which launched airstrikes targeting Syrian government positions, including the Defence Ministry headquarters, citing the need to protect the Druze minority as justification for its intervention.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Exclusive: On the ground in Sweida, a Syrian city torn by Druze-Bedouin clashes
Exclusive: On the ground in Sweida, a Syrian city torn by Druze-Bedouin clashes

France 24

timea day ago

  • France 24

Exclusive: On the ground in Sweida, a Syrian city torn by Druze-Bedouin clashes

In the Syrian southwestern city of Sweida, violent clashes have erupted between Druze factions and Bedouin groups. More than 1,000 have been killed, according to the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights and a further 145,000 have been displaced, said the International Organisation for Migration. Eyewitnesses have accused Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa's government troops of complicity or direct involvement in the massacres. Two weeks after the fighting began, FRANCE 24's journalists were the first to enter the previously sealed-off city centre, where the atrocities were the most violent. Humanitarian organisations have not yet been able to access this part of the city. The atrocities in Sweida are reminiscent of the coastal massacres that occurred in March, as Syria struggles to recover from 13 years of war.

French prosecutors seek new Assad arrest warrant
French prosecutors seek new Assad arrest warrant

LeMonde

timea day ago

  • LeMonde

French prosecutors seek new Assad arrest warrant

French prosecutors said Monday, July 28, they have requested a new arrest warrant against Syria's former president Bashar al-Assad over a deadly 2013 chemical attack after a previous one was cancelled. It is now up to investigating magistrates to decide whether to issue the new warrant. French investigators have since 2021 been looking into a suspected Syrian government sarin gas attack that killed more than 1,000 people, according to US intelligence, on August 4-5, 2013, in the areas of Adra and Douma outside Damascus. The Court of Cassation, France's highest court, on Friday ruled there were no exceptions to presidential immunity, even for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, annulling a French warrant against Assad issued in 2023 when he was still leader. It however added that, as Assad, who was toppled in December, was no longer president, new warrants could be issued and the French investigation could continue. The National Anti-Terror Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) said they on Friday requested "the issuing and international dissemination of an arrest warrant against Bashar al-Assad for alleged complicity in crimes against humanity and complicity in war crimes" in the chemical attack case. Assad and his family fled to Russia, according to Russian authorities, after Islamist-led fighters seized power on December 8. Another French warrant is already out for Assad's arrest, issued in January for suspected complicity in war crimes for a bombing in the Syrian city of Deraa in 2017 that killed a French-Syrian civilian.

Syria to hold first parliamentary elections since the fall of al-Assad
Syria to hold first parliamentary elections since the fall of al-Assad

Euronews

time2 days ago

  • Euronews

Syria to hold first parliamentary elections since the fall of al-Assad

Syria will hold its first parliamentary elections since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad, with voting scheduled to take place between 15 and 20 September, the head of the election organising body told state media on Sunday. Mohammed Taha al-Ahmad, chairman of the Higher Committee for People's Assembly Elections, confirmed the dates to the state-run SANA news agency. The elections will be held under the authority of interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who took power following a rapid rebel advance that ousted al-Assad in December. One-third of the 210 seats in the new assembly will be appointed directly by al-Sharaa, while the remaining two-thirds will be filled through provincial-level elections. In an interview with the Erem News website, committee member Hassan Al-Daghim said that electoral colleges would be established in each province to oversee the voting for the elected seats. A temporary constitution, signed by al-Sharaa in March, established a People's Committee to serve as a transitional parliament until a permanent constitution is enacted and full national elections are held, a process expected to take several years. The announcement comes amid heightened political uncertainty and deepening divisions over Syria's new leadership, particularly after a wave of violence, between the Bedouin and Druze communities, erupted in Suwayda earlier this month. Clashes between the two groups spiralled into heavy fighting that left hundreds dead and threatened to destabilise the postwar transition. Though Syrian government troops intervened, their actions have been criticised. Some government forces allegedly sided with the Bedouins, reportedly carrying out executions against Druze civilians and looting homes in Druze areas. The violence also drew in Israel, which launched airstrikes targeting Syrian government positions, including the Defence Ministry headquarters, citing the need to protect the Druze minority as justification for its intervention.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store