Syria counts votes in 1st parliamentary elections since Assad’s fall

ANKARA

Vote counting began in Syria on Sunday evening after voting closed in Syria’s first parliamentary elections since the ouster of the Bashar al-Assad regime.

“Votes are being counted after polls closed in all provinces,” Nawar Najmeh, a spokesman of the Higher Committee for the People’s Assembly Elections, said in comments carried by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

The polls closed after the electoral commission extended voting hours in several major cities, including Damascus.

Syrian voters cast ballot on Sunday to elect two-thirds of the seats of People’s Assembly (parliament), in the first polls since Assad’s fall last December.

A total of 1,578 candidates competed for 210 seats in the assembly, with women making up 14% of the candidates.

One-third of the seats are appointed directly by the president, while the remaining two-thirds are elected by designated “electoral bodies” in each district.

Observers from diplomatic missions and accredited ambassadors were present at the National Library center to monitor the elections.

“Syrians are proud to witness their first real experience in choosing representatives for the People’s Assembly,” Mohammed Al-Ahmad, head of Syria’s Supreme Committee for People’s Assembly Elections, told state media.

During the voting, President Ahmad Al-Sharaa arrived at the National Library polling center in Damascus to observe the electoral process.

“Every Syrian must play a role in building the new country,” Sharaa said, voicing hope that the vote “will bring the best representatives of Syria to the People’s Assembly to address vital issues, pass stalled laws, and approve the national budget.”

Final results are expected to be announced at a press conference on Monday or Tuesday.

Since Assad's ouster in late 2024, Syria's new government has pursued political and economic reforms while promoting social cohesion and expanding cooperation with regional and international partners.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia last December, ending the Ba'ath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963. Sharaa’s new transitional administration was formed in January.