Preparations underway to select Jazira representatives for Syrian Parliament

preparations are currently underway in Jazira canton to choose its representatives in the People’s Assembly during the upcoming period, as part of the broader process taking place in Syria’s transitional phase. This follows a meeting held last Saturday between representatives of the region, the governor of Hasakah, and officials from the interim government.

The selection process in Jazira will begin with the formation of subcommittees across various areas, paving the way for the establishment of electoral bodies. These bodies will later be tasked with selecting the region’s representatives to the People’s Assembly, for which Jazira has been allocated 10 seats.

The People’s Assembly consists of 210 members, 70 of whom are appointed by the interim president, while the remaining 140 are selected through electoral bodies formed at the provincial level via subcommittees. These subcommittees are responsible for forming the electoral bodies according to an indirect selection mechanism.

selection mechanism in place across Syria

According to the mechanism adopted by the interim government, the process follows a structured administrative sequence: subcommittees are first formed in the provinces; these committees then select the electoral bodies; the electoral bodies elect members of parliament; and finally, one-third of the council’s members are appointed by the interim president.

Who is eligible to run?

The current system does not allow for open direct candidacy. Instead, eligibility is limited to individuals selected within the electoral bodies.

candidacy requirements

Candidates must have held Syrian citizenship prior to 2011, be at least 25 years old, and possess full legal capacity and a good reputation.

The law also requires candidates to reside in the electoral district they seek to represent and to be registered in its civil records, or to have lived there continuously for at least five years prior to 2011. Additionally, candidates must not have any convictions related to serious crimes or offenses affecting honor.

The criteria further exclude individuals proven to have ties to the former regime or involvement in security or politically related cases after 2011. It also bars those accused of supporting designated terrorist groups, advocating for division, or seeking foreign backing. Candidates must not be affiliated with military institutions or security agencies.

seat distribution

On August 26, 2025, the interim government distributed the 210 seats of the People’s Assembly as follows: Aleppo (32 seats), Damascus (10), Rural Damascus (12), Homs (12), Hama (12), Idlib (12), Deir ez-Zor (10), Hasakah (10), Latakia (7), Daraa (6), Raqqa (6), Tartus (5), Swedia (3), and Quneitra (3).

According to available information, meetings are currently taking place in Jazira between political actors, community representatives, and the interim government’s election committee to establish subcommittees as a first step in selecting the region’s representatives.

At the same time, the region is witnessing a registration process linked to the restoration of Syrian citizenship, which may open the door to different possibilities regarding representation, candidacy, and selection mechanisms. There are expectations that this process will ultimately result in a consensus based formula between the parties, particularly in light of the recent agreement.

Jazira canton holds a distinct political, security, and administrative status due to developments during the years of the Syrian conflict, culminating in the agreement signed on January 29 of this year between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the interim government. The agreement included provisions on institutional integration, the settlement of civil and educational rights for the Kurdish population, and the preservation of the particular status of Kurdish regions.

With this, the process of selecting representatives for the People’s Assembly has been completed in most provinces, while efforts are ongoing to finalize it in Hasakah. Meanwhile, Swedia province has not witnessed these procedures due to ongoing security tensions in the province and its countryside following the events of July 2025.

ANHA