Next Syrian presidential election
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A presidential election in Syria is planned to take place within five years of the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.[1] Until then, Syria will be governed by an Islamist transitional government led by president Ahmed al-Sharaa.[2]
Background
[edit]In May 2021, Ba'athist Syria under Bashar al-Assad conducted its final presidential election, which he won by a landslide with over 95% of the popular vote.[3] The election was widely dismissed internationally as an illegitimate sham election marked by substantial electoral fraud.[4] Assad ultimately did not complete his term, after his government collapsed on 8 December 2024 following renewed Syrian opposition offensives led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham amid the Syrian civil war.[5][6]
In March 2025, Ahmed al-Sharaa ratified an interim constitution for the transitional period that established Syria as a presidential republic without a prime minister,[7] leaving the country under Islamist rule for five years until the scheduled election.[8]
Date of the election
[edit]Shortly after the fall of the Assad regime, Hadi al-Bahra, president of the Syrian National Coalition, said that an 18-month transitional period was needed to establish "a safe, neutral, and quiet environment" for free elections, as outlined in the UNSC Resolution 2254.[9] However, the newly declared president of Syria, Ahmad al-Sharaa, stated that elections would need at least four to five years to take place, citing the need to first re-establish the infrastructure for elections by holding a comprehensive population census and drafting a constitution, which he estimated "may take two or three years."[1][10][11]
In a meeting with al-Sharaa, French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot and German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock urged Syria's new leadership to avoid undue delays in holding elections.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Syria's Sharaa says it will take 4-5 years to hold presidential election". Reuters. 3 February 2025.
- ^ Press, the Associated (2025-03-13). "Syrian leader signs constitution that puts the country under an Islamist group's rule for 5 years". CNN. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
- ^ "Assad wins Syrian election dismissed as farce by critics". BBC News. May 27, 2021. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
- ^ "Syrian Election Shows The Extent Of Assad's Power". NPR.org. 26 May 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-05-26. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
The election result is a foregone conclusion, and does little to build relations with Western governments. But it is a useful tool for the Syrian regime to project legitimacy with governments in the region.
- ^ Picheta, Rob; Regan, Helen (December 9, 2024). "After decades of brutal rule, Bashar al-Assad's regime has been toppled". CNN. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
- ^ "Bashar al-Assad: Sudden downfall ends decades of family's iron rule". BBC News. December 9, 2024. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
- ^ "Syria's Constitutional Draft Set for Release as Fact-Finding Committee Begins Investigations". Watan News. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 2025-03-16.
- ^ "Syrian leader signs constitution that puts the country under an Islamist group's rule for 5 years". AP News. 2025-03-13. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
- ^ "Syrian opposition leader calls for 18 month transition period before elections". Reuters. December 8, 2024. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
- ^ "Syria's Rebel Leader Offers Hint of Timetable for Potential Elections". The New York Times. December 30, 2024.
- ^ Ebrahim, Nadeen; Salem, Mostafa (30 December 2024). "Syrian elections could take up to 4 years to organize, de facto leader says". CNN. Retrieved 2025-01-03.
- ^ "French, German foreign ministers meet Syria's de facto rulers". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2025-01-03.