Syria Sets October 5 for First Parliamentary Vote Since Assad

1 DAY AGO·UPDATED 1 DAY AGO

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Above: Ahmad Al-Sharaa at the Presidential Palace in Damascus, Syria, on July 3, 2025. Image copyright: Rami Alsayed/NurPhoto/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

These elections are crucial to rebuilding Syria's democratic institutions after decades of authoritarian rule by the repressive and brutal Assad dynasty. The indirect electoral system makes practical sense given that millions of Syrians remain displaced after 14 years of civil war and lack proper identification documents. The incoming parliament will finally have real power to reshape the economy and foreign policy of a new Syria.

NewsBreak

Government-critical narrative

Re-labeled as interim president, senior terrorist al-Sharaa is staging a tightly controlled democratic farce in which elections, an expanded parliament, and the drafting of a new constitution may appear to signal reform. Still, in practice, they primarily serve to consolidate central power and legitimize authoritarian rule, making constitutional change a calculated tool for consolidating control and blocking genuine political openness.

Tehran Times