Syria to hold snap parliamentary elections

Syria will hold snap elections for the local parliament, the People's Council (Majlis al-Shaabi), from September 15 to 20.

The state-run SANA news agency reported this, citing the head of the electoral commission, Mohammad Taha al-Ahmad.

Earlier, the commission chairman presented the election program to interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. After the signing of the relevant decree, electoral bodies will be established in the country within three weeks, after which candidates will be able to submit applications and participate in debates.

According to the program, the new parliament will consist of 210 members: two-thirds of them will be elected by citizens, and another 70 deputies will be appointed by the president. During the transitional period, the People's Council will work on developing new legislation and support the process of preparing a permanent constitution.

According to the constitutional declaration on the transitional period signed by Martin al-Sharaa in March, the term of office of the interim parliament will be three years, with the possibility of re-election. The new parliament will have the right to dismiss the head of state or limit his powers, but initially all executive power will be concentrated in the hands of the president.