Syria to select new parliament on Oct 5

DAMASCUS

Syria is set to hold the selection process for a transitional parliament on Oct. 5, in accordance with a constitutional declaration announced earlier this year, the electoral commission said on Sept. 21.

The People's Assembly of Syria was dissolved by the country's new Islamist authorities who seized power after ousting longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in a lightning offensive last December.

The upcoming legislature, which will serve for a five-year transitional period, will comprise 210 lawmakers, 140 designated by local committees supervised by the electoral commission and 70 directly nominated by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

The process will be held on Oct. 5 "in the electoral districts of Syria's provinces," the commission wrote on its Telegram channel.

It did not specify if all provinces would take part.

In late August, the government announced that the selection would be delayed in the Druze-majority province of Sweida, the site of deadly clashes in July, and in the regions of Raqa and Hasakeh, due to the security and political situation.

According to the constitutional declaration adopted in March, the transitional parliament will have a renewable mandate of 30 months.

It will excercise its role until a permanent constitution is adopted and new elections are held.