Syria's New Parliament Sparks Debate Over Representation

Syria released initial results from its parliamentary elections, marking the first since Bashar al-Assad’s fall. The election, criticized for low female and minority representation, resulted in a heavily Sunni and male parliament. Authorities cited security concerns for remaining elections in non-government-controlled areas.

In a significant development, Syria announced its initial parliamentary election results, the first of its kind following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad. Election officials indicated a notable deficit in female and religious minority representation, which has sparked discussions among observers.

The election involved 6,000 members of regional electoral bodies selecting candidates from predetermined lists, striving to fill nearly two-thirds of the 210 seats. President Ahmed al-Sharaa will later appoint the remaining third. Concerns have been raised regarding the highly controlled process and the exclusion of regions beyond government control, leading to uneven representation.

Nawar Najma, the spokesperson of the higher electoral committee, acknowledged the electoral deficiencies, particularly the inadequate representation of women and Christians. Authorities blamed the indirect voting method on unreliable population data post-conflict. Elections in Kurdish regions are postponed, pending integration talks.

(With inputs from agencies.)