Parliamentary elections entrench al-Sharaa’s rule, exclude components

International outlets reported that the elections in Syria further consolidated al-Sharaa’s control, signaling a turn toward a more closed political direction following Assad’s fall.

Election results reinforce al-Sharaa’s hold on power

The transitional government in Syria announced on Monday the names of the “election” winners, thereby cementing its political dominance a year after the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad, according to a report by The National (UAE).

The results showed that most of the victors came from the conservative religious bloc, with limited representation for religious components and women.

Mohammad Zaiter, a veteran Alawite politician who opposed the Assad family’s rule and spent years in prison, said the current elections represent “a sweeping victory for religious and tribal candidates at the expense of Syria’s civil component.”

He added that President al-Sharaa might “try to restore some balance in favor of minorities” through the appointments he is expected to make later, but the parliament will remain entirely loyal to him.

Zaiter noted that “the president has secured his control over Syria’s political future,” pointing out that the new parliament will take part in drafting a new constitution and approving a set of regulatory laws.

Syria’s communities fail to break into the new political scene after the “elections”

In the same context, the first “elections” held in Syria since the ousting of former president Bashar al-Assad revealed deep divisions among the country’s religious and ethnic groups. Many had hoped for broader political representation in the new system, but the results dashed those expectations, according to a report by The Washington Post.

The newspaper noted that caution prevailed among religious and ethnic communities in the weeks leading up to the elections, amid fears that ongoing political instability could once again inflame sectarian tensions. Still, some candidates from these groups chose to run in the final days, though only a few succeeded in winning seats in the new parliament.

These developments come as the transitional government seeks to consolidate its political power one year after the fall of the Assad regime, while the country continues to struggle with rebuilding its institutions and defining a new balance among its diverse social components.

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ANHA