Counting underway in Syria's first parliamentary elections since ouster of Assad
Vote counting is currently underway in Syria following the country's parliamentary elections.
Vote counting is currently underway in Syria following the country's parliamentary elections.
Preliminary results from the election held on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, will be announced immediately, while the final official results are expected by either Monday or Tuesday as counting concludes, according to the Syrian News Agency (SANA).
The newly elected People’s Assembly will be responsible for passing a new election law and constitution as part of Syria's political transition. This follows the end of a long-term conflict and the ouster of former leader Bashar Assad.
Security forces were stationed around polling locations nationwide. Inside the polling stations, electoral college members filled out their ballots, which were then placed in sealed boxes for counting in the presence of candidates, journalists, and observers from the Syrian Bar Association.
Vote counting is currently underway in Syria following the country's parliamentary elections.
There was no direct popular vote in this election. Instead, two-thirds of the 210-member assembly will be elected through province-based electoral colleges. The remaining one-third of the seats will be directly appointed by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
The new parliament is set to serve a 30-month term as it prepares for future elections. Approximately 7,000 electoral college members across 60 districts were eligible to vote for 140 seats. However, elections were postponed in Sweida province and regions controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, due to tensions between local authorities and the central government in Damascus.
In a speech delivered on Sunday, interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa emphasized the importance of the elections in filling the parliamentary representation void. He stated that efforts were made to expedite the election process and address pending issues in Syria.
Critics have raised concerns that the electoral college system may benefit well-connected candidates, potentially consolidating power within the interim government. However, others view the election as a step towards progress. In Damascus, 490 candidates contested 10 seats, with 500 voters participating in the electoral college.
Based on reporting by Africanews.
