Syria's Higher Election Committee on Monday announced the preliminary results of the country's first parliamentary elections since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, revealing the winners in most governorates while noting that voting remained postponed in three regions due to security conditions. According to Decision 66 issued by the committee and reported by the official Al-Ikhbariya channel, 30 candidates secured seats in Aleppo city and its countryside. Ten candidates won in Damascus governorate, and 12 in the Damascus countryside. Twelve seats were secured in Idlib and its countryside, 12 in Homs and its countryside, and 12 in Hama and its countryside. Another 12 candidates won across the Latakia and Tartus governorates. Six candidates won in Daraa and its countryside, three in Quneitra, and 10 in Deir ez-Zor and its countryside. Polling locations were established in most governorates, with the exception of Raqqa, Hasakah, and Suwayda. The committee decided in late August to postpone the electoral process in these provinces until suitable conditions and a secure environment could be ensured. The committee also opened the door for appeals regarding the electoral process—including campaigning, voting, and counting—until the end of Monday. It stated that "any interested party may appeal the preliminary results… before the special appeals committee of the concerned governorate." The preliminary lists indicated an absence of female representation in Damascus. A total of six women secured parliamentary membership elsewhere: two in Tartus, and one each in Homs, Hama, Latakia, and Aleppo. First vote under new hybrid system Voting began on Sunday for the historic election, in which members of electoral bodies cast ballots to select representatives for the new People's Assembly. The parliament will serve a renewable term of 30 months. The process follows a new temporary mechanism defined by Presidential Decree No. 66 of 2025, issued by President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The decree established a Higher Election Committee of 10 members, in addition to its chairman Mohammed Taha Al-Ahmad, to supervise the process. Under this system, the People's Assembly will consist of 210 members: 140 elected through the electoral bodies and 70 appointed by the President. Distribution of seats was based on population density in the governorates. The elections were conducted through an indirect temporary system, in which 6,000 electors from regional electoral bodies cast votes. A total of 1,578 candidates competed for the 140 elected seats, while the right to run was limited to members of the electoral bodies. Strict conditions for candidacy The presidential decree laid out stringent conditions for candidacy under the new electoral system. Candidates were required to hold Syrian nationality prior to 1 May 2011, and have registration or five years of continuous residence in their constituency before 2011. They must be at least 25 years old, of good conduct, and not convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude, excluding political or security-related cases. Crucially, the conditions bar anyone who was a member of or candidate for the People's Assembly after 2011, "unless they proved their defection." Candidates must not have been supporters of the former regime or "terrorist organisations in any form," nor advocates for "secession, division, or reliance on foreign support." Candidates were also required to adhere to the provisions of the Constitutional Declaration. Active members of the armed forces or security services, members of election committees, and those holding positions such as minister, governor, or their deputies and assistants were ineligible. The decree mandated that 70% of candidates be selected from a "competencies" category—defined as individuals holding recognised university degrees in various specialisations—and 30% from a "notables" category, defined as socially influential figures known for community service who hold a secondary school certificate. The selection process was required to consider social diversity, population distribution, and the representation of internally and externally displaced persons. Regarding female representation within the electoral bodies themselves, the decree specified a quota of no less than 20% of seats.
