Syria’s first elections since overthrowing the brutal dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad are not the open, democratic polls that Syrian citizens risked their lives demanding over nearly 14 years of civil war.
But many Syrians say they’re OK with that.
Because, they say, these elections, which began on Monday, might not be open and free, but they are relatively fair.
Why We Wrote This
Across Syria, community leaders are choosing representatives to a parliament tasked with overhauling the country’s laws and setting a new constitution. If the process prioritizes technocratic expertise over parties and politics, Syrians hope it’s a step toward building a democratic legislature.
In village halls, auditoriums, and offices across the country this week, community leaders are choosing representatives to send to a parliament tasked with overhauling the country’s laws and setting a new constitution.
It is a process many believe will form a parliament that might not be by the people, but will be for the people – a sea change in how parliamentarians represent and respond to their constituents in the war-torn country.
And it is, Syrians hope, a historic first step toward building a responsive legislative authority. In interviews, they express patience with a process that prioritizes technocratic expertise over parties and politics to build the system they look forward to.
“Before, we had people that served a parliament. Now, we hope to have a parliament that serves the people, and the good of the nation,” says Fatima, a lawyer from Quneitra who asked for her full name to be withheld.
“I don’t care if it’s a direct or indirect election, all I care is that it will lead to a parliament that votes for programs and laws that are for the people, not for a regime.”
Indirect, closed vote
Forming a new parliament – and having a legislative authority passing laws – has been a top priority for Syria’s new government and for the business community.
Yet, the state is unable to hold elections across all regions due to security challenges and the presence of armed rival factions opposed to the government in Damascus. Rather than a popular vote, it chose to hold indirect, closed polls.
Across Syria, tens of electoral colleges comprising community leaders and notables are gathering, debating, and preparing to vote among themselves to send representatives to parliament.
One-third of the parliament’s 210 seats, 70, will be appointed by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Islamist-turned-pragmatist who assumed power after his coalition forced Mr. Assad from power last December. The other 140 seats will be selected by these electoral colleges.
While average citizens cannot vote, any Syrian has the ability to challenge a candidate’s eligibility – creating a type of reverse participation and a filter that seeks to ensure that incoming lawmakers serve their communities.
In this process, set to conclude by the end of September and taking place largely behind closed doors, community leaders and activists are short-listing Syrians who best represent the diverse fabric of the country and have a combination of a legal background, revolutionary credentials, and a vision for the new constitution.
After overhauling laws and setting a new constitution, this parliament is to pave the way for yet another election after three to five years – this time a nationwide, democratic, popular vote.
“We wished to have direct elections, as they probably would have been more desired by citizens,” says Nawar Najma, a physician and spokesperson for Syria’s High Electoral Commission, the president-formed body that appointed the electoral colleges now selecting parliamentarians.
“But right now we are facing large demographic and logistical challenges in Syria in terms of distributing ballots and the dispersal of the displaced and refugees, making the ability to hold direct, fair elections nearly impossible,” Dr. Najma says.
“And we do not want to hold [unfair] elections like those held by the former regime.”
It is, proponents say, a way to guarantee that Syria’s diverse fabric of sects, ethnicities, and social spheres are represented when the constitution is drafted.
“The social and demographic components must be represented in these electoral committees at all levels,” Dr. Najma adds.
Job for technocrats, not politicians
The incoming parliament faces a formidable to-do list.
In addition to drafting the new constitution, the body will be immediately tasked with overhauling a half-century’s worth of laws from the previous dictatorship that are still on the books.
For example, a law imposing a three-year prison sentence for dealing in and carrying foreign currency is still technically in effect; so, too, are laws that were used to strip citizens of their lands and money for opposing the regime.
Then there are the host of new laws that the interim government is looking to pass to transform the Baathist-socialist country into a capitalist, global-oriented, open country and economy.
In interviews, Syrian business owners say they are anxiously awaiting passage of a much-touted investors law to encourage and protect foreign investment in Syria.
Parliament, too, will need to ratify international conventions Syria seeks to join and new treaties, such as an under-discussion security agreement with Israel, a longtime adversary.
Observers, political activists, candidates, and citizens in the streets agree: It is a task for technocrats and lawyers, not politicians.
“In the formation of the parliament, there has been a strong focus on technical expertise to study and issue laws,” says Wael Olwan, an analyst at the Jusoor Center for Studies, a Damascus-based research institute.
“This comes at the expense of politicians and representative of the people.”
“We need legal experts”
Hassan Mohieddin, a lawyer and member of the council of notables in Douma, is one of dozens of candidates currently taking part in the electoral colleges.
“I want to run as there is need for legal and revolutionary expertise,” says Mr. Mohieddin. “We need legal experts who know the Syrian context and international standards to shepherd us through this interim period.
“The most important thing is that people feel parliamentarians are serving citizens, not citizens serving the parliamentarians.”
Syrians say they welcome a technocratic parliament to help usher the country into a new phase of rebuilding – and are willing to wait to cast their ballot in a future election.
“Before, we had a rubber-stamp parliament,” says Ayia, a mother of three, in Damascus. “All parliamentarians served the regime and security services. Not anymore.”
“We recognize that this is an interim period,” says Majed Abu Ahmed, an engineering student. “This election will lay the ground for the next election, which is when we will all be able to cast votes for political parties and programs. I am looking forward to casting my vote – even if it is not now.”
Yet, even these carefully arranged closed-door elections fail to cover all of Syria.
Southwestern Suwayda province, controlled by Druze separatists, as well as some regions controlled by the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces in the northeast, are exempt from the elections due to the state’s inability to enter and monitor polls.
Instead, Mr. Sharaa is expected to appoint members of these regions until elections can be held.
It is a decision, observers say, that aims to avoid the pitfalls experienced in other post-conflict Arab states.
“The election of representatives of de facto powers on the ground in these three regions will lead to an obstructionist coalition in parliament [such as in Iraq and Lebanon], whose sole duty will be to delay progress and the issuance of laws,” says Reiad Hassan, a legal expert at Jusoor and a former member of the Syria National Council in exile.
Party-free polls
Currently, no political parties in Syria are licensed or allowed to take part in elections.
Instead, these political organizations are watching from the sidelines, supportive of the process, and looking to lobby the new parliament to make sure it continues Syria’s democratic transition.
“We, as a party, view that, given the current conditions of Syria, this system of forming a parliament is appropriate – as long as there is no interference from the executive,” says Absi Smeisem, a member of the Republic Party formed in exile in Turkey.
“The new Syria needs a legislative body urgently to monitor the executive and issue laws,” he says. “This parliament will help facilitate our strategic goal of activating political life in Syria.”
“We support the formation of parliament, even if it is not an open vote,” Jumaa Laheeb, from the Syrian Future Movement, a coalition of liberal democratic parties. “We plan to lobby and work with parliament directly to make sure a democratic opening follows.”
