Syria to Conduct Parliamentary Elections on July 19

The Syrian Government is going to hold the parliamentary elections on July 19 aimed at changing the political scenario in the country so that the economic hardships of the country could be resolved. The elections also coincide with the sitting President Bashar-al-Assad marking 20 years in power amid an ongoing war and grave economic crisis in the country.

The elections were scheduled to be held in April but postponed twice due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic in the country. However, the real opposition to Assad’s Baath Party is not participating in the elections.

It is expected that the opposition parties normally accepted by the government are going to boycott the polls and the ruling Baath Party is going to monopolize the parliament just like in the previous elections.

Background

In 2016, Baath Party and its allies took 200 seats out of the total 250 seat parliament whereas the rest of the seats went to the independent candidates running the elections. This time also, it is expected that similar results will be there since the contest lacks credibility given the fact that most of the candidates either belong to the Baath Party or loyal to his regime.

Over 7000 polling stations have been established in about 70% of the government-controlled areas that it had wrested with the support from Russia in 2019. Syrians living abroad will not be taking part in the elections. After the election, a new constitution is to be approved and new presidential candidates will also be announced.

Since the international community has time and again appealed to Al-Assad to abdicate his post due to the bloody civil wars during his tenure, it is certain that the new parliament will also not be recognized by them.

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2020