Syria’s Election Theater Ends Before It Even Begins
According to the English section of webangah News Agency,citing Mehr News Agency and the Syrian news agency,voting in many Syrian polling stations that opened at 9:30 a.m. Tehran time ended an hour ago.
Currently, only some polling stations in Damascus and several major cities have extended voting hours, allowing residents to participate. Despite this, public turnout has been so low that even media outlets affiliated with the Syrian regime have scarcely released images showing voter presence.
Abu Muhammad al-Julani, leader of the terrorist forces controlling Syria, appeared at the National Elections Office in Damascus, claiming this is a historic moment for people to rebuild their country.
Expressing surprise over the brief three-hour staged elections, he stated Syria managed to organize these elections within just a few months.
The parliamentary elections under this new terrorist regime imitate some Arab states by merely simulating electoral processes; those elected do not genuinely represent the Syrian people.
In addition to widespread restrictions on candidacy and extensive security, propaganda, and social pressures favoring certain groups’ victory, unusual laws govern these elections.
The Abu Muhammad al-Julani regime announced plans to increase parliamentary seats from 150 to 210. Though,under recent reforms applied during this election cycle,one-third of parliamentarians will be directly appointed by Julani himself. This means policies emerging from parliament will serve his rule’s objectives rather than national interests.
Besides 70 members directly chosen by Julani who gain entry into parliament without popular vote approval, the remaining 140 elected representatives must still receive authorization from Syria’s ruling authority after winning majority votes. Additionally, Julani holds power to dissolve parliament during remarkable circumstances through Syria’s Internal Security Council composed of foreign affairs minister, interior minister and defense minister.
Meanwhile, autonomous regions including Raqqa, Hasakah, and parts of Deir ez-Zor have declared they will not permit elections within territories under their control.
