Syrian Arab Republic - July 2024

Syria held parliamentary elections on 15 July in the 70 per cent of Syrian territory controlled by President Bashar al-Assad. According to the Higher Judicial Committee for Elections (HJCE), 1,516 candidates ran for the 250 seats in the Syrian People’s Assembly (Majlis Al-Shaab). All candidates were pre-approved by the HJCE, and 7,400 pre-approved candidates withdrew before the election. The HJCE annulled election results in some polling stations in Hama, Aleppo and its countryside, Latakia, and Daraa due to reports of ballot stuffing, with the elections re-run in the affected areas on 16 July. The HJCE reported a voter turnout of 38.16 percent. The ruling Ba'athist party won 169 seats, its allied parties secured 16 seats, and independents obtained 65 seats. The Syrian opposition condemned the election, which lacked credible observers. Before the vote, protesters in the cities of Sweida and Daraa called for boycotts, arguing that the election did not align with UNSC Resolution 2254, which stipulates that parliamentary and presidential elections in Syria should occur within a political process after forming a credible transitional governing body. A total of 24 women MPs were elected, four less than in the 2020 parliament.

Sources: SANA (1), SANA (2), Al Arabiya, Syria TV (1), Syria TV (2), IPU, International IDEA

In early July, protesters in the southern Syrian governorate of Sweida called for a boycott of the 15 July parliamentary elections. Local media reported peaceful demonstrations, with participants condemning the elections as illegitimate, following an online campaign by Syrian opposition activists. On election day, protesters reportedly seized ballot boxes at some of the 268 polling stations in Sweida, attempting to block the polls. A passerby in Sweida was injured when security forces opened fire, though no major clashes were reported. Protests in the predominantly Druze governorate of Sweida started in August 2023, driven by opposition to military conscription.

Sources: Enab Baladi (1), Enab Baladi (2), Suwayda 24, The National, International IDEA

In early July, northwestern Syria experienced notable unrest, including protests and attacks targeting Turkish military forces. The burning of lorries and assaults on Turkish assets led to clashes between armed protesters and Turkish forces, resulting in the death of seven people along the Turkish-controlled Syrian border. In response, Türkiye closed border crossings and shut down Turkish-linked internet networks. This development, coinciding with a rise in anti-Syrian sentiment in Türkiye, highlights growing tensions among certain factions of the Syrian opposition. These tensions are fueled by fears that Türkiye might be moving towards normalizing relations with the Syrian government, which could impact the conflict dynamics in Syria's northwest.

Sources: Middle East Institute, France 24, Enab Baladi, International IDEA