Syrian parliamentary elections to take place in state-held areas amid call for political forces’ participation

Head of the Higher Judicial Committee for Elections has declared that the Syrian Parliamentary elections will take place in state-held areas and there will be no polling stations in Syrian embassies abroad or in refugees camps.

Hisham al-Shaar told the Damascus-based al-Watan newspaper that the parliamentary elections take place within constituencies in each province, so it is difficult to open polling stations abroad or in refugees camps.

“The refugees can come to the country to vote and to select their candidates,” he said, affirming that Syria does not prevent any citizen from practicing his/her constitutional right regardless their political leanings.

He added that there are centers to receive candidacy applications of the Syrian citizens living in flashpoint provinces, who want to run for the forthcoming parliamentary elections. “The centers are in nearby provinces. For example, the Syrian citizens in Raqqa, who want to run for the forthcoming parliamentary elections, can submit the applications in the nearby Hama province or any other  province.”

As for the timing of elections, al-Shaar said that the parliamentary elections are ‘constitutional requirement’ that must be held on time.

Ossi: Elections have nothing to do with political process

In this context, the Syrian Member of parliament Omar Ossi said on Wednesday that the elections have nothing to do with the political process between the Syrian government and the opposition to resolve the crisis in Syria.

“If the political process is done in accordance with the UN resolution 2254 and Vienna 2 talks, the 2nd legislative term of the parliament, which will be started on April 14th, will be temporary for two years, and it has nothing to do with the results of the Syria-Syrian dialogue and the halt of hostilities operations announced by the Washington and Moscow,”  the MP added.

Marai: National duty

On his part, Secretary General of the National Democratic Action Committee Mahmoud Marai has called on all political forces to participate in the elections.

“The committee will participate in any local or legislative requirement because participation is a national duty. We see that Syria needs all political forces especially in the current circumstances,”   he stressed.

Marai concluded: “The elections must take place despite the difficult circumstances Syria is going through. The Syrian person has offered sacrifices and it is able to practice its rights despite difficulties.”

The total number of the MPs is 250 including different sectors of labors, peasants and other spectrums of the Syrian people distributed as the following seats:Damascus 29,Damascus countryside 19, Aleppo 20, Aleppo countryside 32, Homs 23, Hama 22, Lattakia 17, Idleb 18, Tartous 13, Raqqa 8, DeirEzzor 14, Hasaka 14, Daraa 10, Sweida 6 and Quneitra 5.

BasmaQaddour