The election campaign for Syria’s People’s Council (parliament) began on Monday morning and will continue until Friday evening, ahead of the election day on Sunday, October 5. The nomination period closed the previous Sunday, with a total of 1,578 candidates from all provinces competing, including 14% women. Supporters of the former President Bashar al-Assad’s regime were excluded from participating in the first vote since the regime’s fall last December.

Mohammad Taha Al-Ahmad, head of the Supreme Committee for People’s Council Elections, explained that the campaign will last until Friday evening, followed by a day of electoral silence. Voting will open on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The exclusion of some names from the final lists sparked controversy, but the committee confirmed that this was due to technical reasons related to population distribution, cultural diversity, and scientific specialization, not personal or reputation-related reasons.

The People’s Council has 210 seats, one-third appointed by the President, while the remaining two-thirds are elected under the temporary electoral system approved by the Syrian President in August, designed to suit current conditions.

The Supreme Election Committee issued a list of 1,578 candidates for membership in various electoral districts across Syrian provinces. Al-Ahmad noted that the absence of some citizens’ names from the final lists is not related to their personalities, status, or reputation but to technical matters concerning population distribution, cultural diversity, and scientific specialization. The committee also pointed out that 14% of the candidates are women, reflecting increased female participation in the electoral process.

The election committee also announced the exclusion of all individuals who supported the former President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in any form of support from participating in the upcoming People’s Council elections, whether in candidacy or voting.

Hassan Al-Dughaim, a member of the Supreme Election Committee, told Novosti agency that anyone proven to have supported the former regime with weapons, money, or opinion, or who was a member of the People’s Council or a leader in parties supporting the former regime, will be banned from participating in the electoral process. Al-Dughaim added that this decision aims to cleanse the political process from the influence of former regime elements. He also confirmed that members of the Ministries of Defense and Interior are not allowed to run or join electoral bodies, noting that the role of these institutions is limited to securing the safety of candidates and voters and ensuring the election process’s integrity without direct interference.

Regarding the election campaign, the committee member explained that campaigns will be limited to the electorate and confined to the candidate’s registration area, without covering the provincial or national level. Some debates and meetings may be held within this framework, reflecting the nature of indirect elections. (Agencies)