Syria Holds Indirect Elections With Sharaa Appointing One-Third Parliament

Syria is holding indirect parliamentary elections under interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who came to power after toppling Bashar al-Assad. The 210-seat parliament will have two-thirds of its members elected by 7,000 government-appointed electoral college members, while Sharaa will directly appoint the remaining one-third to ensure representation of women, minorities, and loyalists, effectively guaranteeing his dominance. Voting excludes several key regions, including Kurdish-held areas and the Druze-majority Sweida province, leaving 32 seats vacant and highlighting Syria's ongoing fragmentation. The government justifies the indirect vote due to the lack of reliable census data and widespread displacement from the civil war, but critics argue the process undermines democratic representation and consolidates authoritarian control. International observers like Russia, China, and Iran supported the elections as steps toward stability, while opposition groups and human rights organizations condemned them as unrepresentative and controlled. Analysts note the appointed lawmakers will crucially shape the parliament's legitimacy and effectiveness, with concerns that loyalist appointments will prevent meaningful legislative challenge to Sharaa’s rule.