The World Today
The Supreme Commission for Elections of the Syrian People's Assembly has proposed postponing the legislative elections scheduled for September in the regions of Suwayda—following conflicts between Druze and Bedouin militias—and in Rojava, the Syrian Kurdistan region controlled by the Kurdish-Arab militias of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
A spokesperson for the electoral body confirmed that voting will not take place in these two areas in statements to Iraqi Kurdish television station Rudaw, and Syrian television also confirmed this information.
Specifically, Syria TV cites an official Commission document that plans to postpone the elections in Suwayda, Hasaka, and Raqqa—governed by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES)—for security reasons. Commission spokesperson Nawar Najma explained to Syria TV that this postponement aims to ensure "fair representation" of these three provinces, and therefore the corresponding seats will be reserved until the vote.
The Commission made the decision to ensure "that appropriate conditions and a secure environment exist" for the electoral process, Najma noted.
The new electoral legislation bans former ministers and governors from the regime of ousted President Bashar al-Assad, making them ineligible to run for parliament. "The provisional electoral system prohibits candidates who advocate division, secession, and seek external support, as well as sympathizers of the former regime," according to the regulations.
The new People's Assembly will have 210 members, two-thirds elected under the new regulations and one-third allocated to the various governorates based on their population. The vote is scheduled for September 15-20.
