Damascus, 5 October 2025 (dpa/MIA) – Syria is holding parliamentary elections on Sunday for the first time since the overthrow of long-time authoritarian ruler Bashar al-Assad, a landmark moment in the country's fragile transition after nearly 14 years of war.

Around 50 polling stations have been set up in some areas nationwide, according to the state electoral commission.

But there is only one polling station in the capital, Damascus. According to eyewitnesses, heavy security measures has been adopted in the capital and other regions where voting is taking place.

People may vote for three hours, with possible extensions until the late afternoon if needed, according to the Higher Election Committee.  

Results are expected on Monday or Tuesday, according to the state-run Syrian News Agency (SANA).

Concerns about process

However, the process is already raising fears that power will remain concentrated in the hands of the new rulers rather than paving the way for genuine democratic change.

The revamped People's Assembly will seat 210 members, down from 250. Yet a third of those seats – 70 deputies – will be appointed directly by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a provision critics say guarantees his dominance over the legislature.

"It is not about competence, but about personal calculations," said Khaled Mar'i, a teacher from rural Damascus.

Ordinary Syrians will also not have the chance to cast ballots. Instead, a multi-stage process has been introduced: government-appointed electoral bodies select electors, who will choose the deputies in the final round.

Observers say the system favours well-connected figures and entrenches nepotism, echoing the tightly managed politics of the al-Assad era.

Elections postponed in some Druze, Kurdish areas

Adding to the uncertainty, the elections will not take place everywhere. The transitional government has postponed voting in Sweida and in parts of Hassakah and Raqqa, citing security concerns.

These areas are home to Druze and Kurdish communities often at odds with Damascus, leaving their future representation in parliament unclear.

A date for the remaining regions has not yet been announced.

Al-Assad's fall last December ended more than half a century of family rule.

Syria, a country of 23 million, is now led by al-Sharaa, the former commander of the Islamist faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which toppled al-Assad. But he now faces the challenge of transforming a military victory into political legitimacy.

The transitional government insists the complex electoral procedure is a pragmatic necessity, pointing to millions of displaced people lacking identity documents and the widespread destruction of infrastructure.

Entire towns remain in ruins, while shortages of electricity, fuel and basic services make nationwide polling impossible.

Many have doubts

Still, scepticism runs deep. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who control swathes of the country's north-east, accuse the process of lacking inclusivity.

"The upcoming elections do not offer any signs of real change in Syria," said SDF spokesman Farhad al-Shami.

Many Syrians express mixed feelings: Relief that some form of political institution may take shape, but frustration that the system appears designed to entrench a new elite.

"For now, the parliamentary vote is seen less as a breakthrough than as another interim step in a country still struggling to define its future," said Majed Abdul Nour, a member of the electoral committee in Aleppo.

He added: "Holding elections under the current method is not viable, as there is no healthy environment for elections. Half of the Syrian population is displaced and lacks Syrian documents, while parts of the country remain divided."

Applications for electoral committees were divided into two categories: professionals and notables. University degrees were required for the first group, and high school diplomas for the second.

More than 6,500 people applied, though some later withdrew.

Mohammad Taha al-Ahmad, head of the Supreme Committee for People's Assembly Elections, meanwhile defended the process.

"The committee has worked with all its effort to ensure the success of the elections despite Syria's difficult conditions," he told dpa.

But not everyone agrees. Mzeil al-Ali, a member of the Quneitra electoral committee, said he resigned because of "the policy of the Supreme Committee, which excluded the sons of the revolution and turned the elections into a mock play."

"I refuse to be a mere extra in a show scripted by people benefitting from this charade," al-Ali added.

Photo: epa