Syrians vote for new parliament, President Al-Sharaa chooses a third of deputies

(Patria) - Members of Syrian electoral colleges will gather today to vote for a new parliament, Reuters reported.

President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who came to power after overthrowing Bashar al-Assad in December, is trying to consolidate his rule over a nation divided by a fourteen-year war and attacks of sectarian violence that have fueled mistrust towards him among minorities.

The indirect vote will involve a total of 6,000 voters who will vote in regional electoral colleges starting at 9:00 AM local time, and polling stations will close around 5:00 PM.

A committee appointed by Sharaa has approved 1,570 candidates who presented their platforms at seminars and debates this week.

But the public election campaign was subdued, with no posters or billboards visible in major cities, Reuters journalists said.

Sunday's vote will determine two-thirds of the 210-seat parliament, with results expected the same night. However, the legislature will not be formally established until Sharaa, a former Al-Qaeda fighter, chooses the remaining third.

Authorities say they resorted to this system instead of universal suffrage due to a lack of reliable population data and after the displacement of millions of Syrians due to the war.

Citing security and political reasons, they postponed the vote in three provinces held by minority groups, leaving nineteen seats in parliament vacant.

Critics have criticized these moves, saying that partial and indirect voting is not representative.

Analysts say that Sharaa's choice of seventy lawmakers will ultimately determine the effectiveness and legitimacy of the new body – choosing women or minority lawmakers could add diversity, but loyalists could help him pass laws without parliamentary resistance.