MP candidate reveals alleged manipulation; directives at Hasakah voting centers

The process of selecting members of the Syrian People’s Assembly representing Hasakah province and the city of Kobani in the countryside of Aleppo province has sparked growing criticism and objections, amid accusations from participants and activists of prior voter guidance and the imposition of specific names within the process.

In this context, candidate Azzam al-Dandah, representing the electoral district of Qamishlo, criticized the conduct of the process from inside a polling center in Al-Hasakah, affirming that what took place “does not reflect a real election.”

In a recorded video statement, al-Dandah said participants were surprised on the morning of the voting process by the distribution of paper slips to voters containing specific names they were instructed to vote for. He asserted that the process was carried out under the direction of political and administrative bodies, adding: “Everything was directed by the political committee affiliated with the government.”

Al-Dandah accused those overseeing the process of steering voters toward electing individuals who had been agreed upon in advance. He added that some of the selected names were already known hours before voting began, describing what happened as a “quota-based process” that does not reflect the true will of voters.

He also pointed to disparities in the timing of voters entering polling centers, stating that some participants cast their votes before the arrival of other voters, which he said undermined the principle of equal opportunity within the electoral process.

During his remarks, Al-Dandah compared what took place to the mechanisms used during the rule of the Ba’ath Party, noting that the reliance on prepared lists and pre-selected names revives practices that had long been criticized.

The candidate confirmed that he intends to file an appeal against the results of the process, indicating that a number of Kurdish and Arab voters were subjected to direct guidance during voting.

These statements come amid ongoing debate over the mechanism for forming the Syrian “People’s Assembly,” which currently relies on a combination of selection and appointment during the country’s transitional phase, while political and civil groups continue to call for transparency and fair representation in legislative institutions.

ANHA