Syria is holding parliamentary elections for the first time since the ousting of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad — a milestone in the country’s fragile political transition after nearly 14 years of conflict.
On Sunday, members of Syria’s electoral colleges cast their votes to select new lawmakers for the revamped 210-seat People’s Assembly. However, the process has drawn sharp criticism from observers, who argue it lacks democratic legitimacy. A third of the seats are appointed directly by interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, while the remaining members are chosen indirectly by electoral colleges rather than through a popular vote.
Critics say the system entrenches the power of Syria’s new leadership instead of opening the door to real democratic reform. In a joint statement last month, over a dozen non-governmental organisations warned that al-Sharaa “can effectively shape a parliamentary majority composed of individuals he selected or ensured loyalty from,” thereby “undermining the principle of pluralism essential to any genuine democratic process.”
“You can call the process what you like, but not elections,” said Bassam Alahmad, executive director of France-based Syrians for Truth and Justice, one of the signatories of the statement, in remarks to AFP.
Meanwhile, voting has been indefinitely suspended in the restive Druze-majority province of Suwayda and in Kurdish-controlled areas of the northeast, due to ongoing tensions between local authorities and the central government in Damascus.
U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to make the Strait of Hormuz part of U.S. territory have been mocked by Iran's Deputy Foreign Ministe...
For fishermen along Pakistan’s southwestern coast, the consequences of the U.S.-Iran conflict are being felt far from the battlefield....
At least 47 people have been killed after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off eastern Indonesia early on Saturday, ...
Hundreds of flights have been cancelled or rerouted at Catania Airport over the past week as ash from Mount Etna’s ongoing eruption continues to disrupt air travel in Sicily.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over the strategic waterway and insisting it will not reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim deal.
The U.S. will impose unprecedented measures on Iran in order to economically isolate the country, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said.
Wildfires across England and Wales have reached their highest level on record, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council, as firefighters struggle to contain outbreaks following a spell of extreme heat.
Record rainfall in Japan killed eight people and stranded thousands of travellers at Tokyo's Narita Airport on Friday, as flooding disrupted transport and cut power to 20,000 homes.
For fishermen along Pakistan’s southwestern coast, the consequences of the U.S.-Iran conflict are being felt far from the battlefield.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry has expressed regret over the death of a 21-year-old pregnant woman killed by gunfire across the border in Tajikistan’s Darvoz district. Dushanbe has issued a formal protest to Kabul over the incident, which it said involved a violation of its airspace.
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan all reported blackouts on Friday, which Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry said had been caused by a "sudden change in the power flow" from the Central Asian grid.
The United Nations has urged sustained international engagement with Afghanistan five years into Taliban rule, warning that restrictions on women and terrorism concerns risk undermining gains from improved security.
Iran says the U.S. war and military presence in the region have worsened marine pollution around the Strait of Hormuz, calling for environmental protection to form part of future arrangements governing the strategic waterway.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment