Syrians vote for their next Parliament, which may pave the way for Assad to extend his rule

Syrians vote in 2024 parliamentary election amid economic crisis, with potential for constitutional amendment to extend Assad's term.

Syrians were voting for members of a new Parliament in an election Monday, July 15, 2024m that was expected to hold few surprises but could pave the way for a constitutional amendment to extend the term of President Bashar Assad.

The vote is the fourth in Syria since mass anti-government protests in 2011 and a brutal crackdown by security forces spiralled into an ongoing civil war and comes as an economic crisis grips the country, fueling demonstrations in the south.

Syria's 2024 parliamentary election excludes rebel-held northwest Syria and the country's northeast under U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. The number of eligible voters hasn't been announced either, and unlike presidential elections, the millions of diaspora Syrians — whose numbers have ballooned since the civil war — are not qualified to vote for the legislators.

Western countries and Assad's critics say the polling in government-held areas in Syria is neither free nor fair.

This year, 1,516 government-approved candidates are running for the 250-seat People’s Assembly. Some 8,151 polling stations were set up in 15 voting districts in government-held areas, with results expected to be announced Monday night or the following day.

In the last round of elections in 2020, the outcome was delayed for days due to technical issues, according to officials. Assad’s Baath Party won 166 seats, in addition to 17 others from allied parties, while 67 seats went to independent candidates.

The poll is taking place as Syria’s economy continues to deteriorate after years of conflict, Western-led sanctions, the COVID-19 pandemic and dwindling aid due to donor fatigue.