
Syria to hold parliamentary elections in September, first since Assad's fall
Advertisement
Mohammed Taha al-Ahmad, chairman of the Higher Committee for People's Assembly Elections, told state news agency SANA that elections will take place between September 15 and 20.
They will be the first to take place under the country's new authorities after the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad in a lightning rebel offensive in December.
One third of the 210 seats will be appointed by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, with the rest to be elected.
In a recent interview with the Erem News site, another member of the elections committee, Hassan al-Daghim, said an electoral college will be set up in each of
Syria's provinces to vote for the elected seats.
Advertisement
A temporary constitution signed by al-Sharaa in March called for a People's Committee to be set up to serve as an interim parliament until a permanent constitution is adopted and general elections held, a process that could take years.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


South China Morning Post
a day ago
- South China Morning Post
Syria steps back from Paris meetings with Kurdish-led SDF
Syria will not take part in planned meetings with Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Paris, Syria's state news agency quoted a government source as saying on Saturday, casting doubt over an integration deal signed by the two sides in March. The SDF was the main fighting force allied to the United States in Syria during the fighting that defeated Islamic State in 2019 after the group declared a caliphate across swathes of Syria and Iraq. In March, the SDF signed a deal with the new Islamist-led government in Damascus to join Syria's state institutions. The deal aims to stitch back together a country fractured by 14 years of war, paving the way for Kurdish-led forces that hold a quarter of Syria to merge with Damascus, along with regional Kurdish governing bodies. It did not specify how the SDF will be merged with Syria's armed forces, however. The SDF has previously said its forces must join as a bloc, while Damascus wants them to join as individuals. The source was quoted by the news agency SANA as saying that Damascus would not be involved in negotiations with any side that aims to 'revive the era of the former regime'.


South China Morning Post
a day ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong slams ‘false and biased' G7 criticism of latest bounties on activists
Hong Kong has strongly opposed and disapproved of 'false and biased' remarks by the G7 regarding the city's latest round of bounties and arrest warrants on overseas activists. Advertisement A government spokesman said on Saturday that those 'fugitives hiding abroad are wanted and have arrest warrants issued by the courts, not because they 'exercise freedom of expression', but because they continue to engage in activities endangering national security there blatantly'. The G7 on Friday condemned the new HK$200,000 (US$25,640) bounties placed by city authorities on 15 overseas activists for their involvement in the 'Hong Kong Parliament' group, which police deem subversive and accuse of violating the Beijing-imposed security law. The G7 calls Hong Kong's move to place fresh bounties on overseas activists a 'form of transnational repression'. The G7 statement was issued by its Rapid Response Mechanism unit, set up in 2018 to fight threats to democracy, such as foreign interference. In addition to members of the Group of Seven – Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States – the European Union and RRM associate members Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Sweden endorsed the message. 'The authorities issued arrest warrants and bounties on individuals outside Hong Kong's borders, including in G7 RRM countries, for exercising their freedom of expression,' the unit said. 'This form of transnational repression undermines national security, state sovereignty, human rights, and the safety of communities.' Advertisement The Hong Kong government said fugitives should not believe they could escape consequences by fleeing the city, stressing that it had the responsibility to pursue those suspected of committing crimes endangering national security outside of Hong Kong. 'Ultimately, they will be held accountable for their serious criminal acts that endanger national security and face legal sanctions,' the spokesman said.


South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Germany suspends arms exports to Israel for use in Gaza
Germany will halt the export of military equipment to Israel that could be used in the Gaza Strip, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday, sparking an angry response from Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Berlin's move, in response to an Israeli plan to take control of Gaza City, marks a drastic change of course for Germany, long one of Israel's staunchest international allies. Merz expressed 'deep concern' at the suffering of Gaza's civilians. It was 'increasingly unclear', he said, how the latest Israeli military plan would help achieve the aims of disarming Hamas and freeing the remaining Israeli hostages. 'Under these circumstances, the German government will not authorise any exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice,' he said in a statement. Netanyahu spoke to Merz later Friday to express his 'disappointment', said a statement from the prime minister's office.