CIVICUS discusses Syria’s political transition and the implications of its new parliament with Fadel Abdulghany, founder and head of the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR). Established in 2011, SNHR documents human rights violations, supports accountability efforts and advocates for justice and democratic reform.
On 5 October, Syria held what authorities called its first parliamentary election since the ousting in December 2024 of Bashar al-Assad, the authoritarian leader who ruled Syria for over two decades. The election’s indirect system allowed around 6,000 electoral college members to select candidates for two-thirds of the 210-seat assembly, with the rest appointed by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Authorities justified the lack of a direct election on the grounds of war displacement and lack of reliable voter rolls, but rights groups warned this gives al-Sharaa effective control over the composition of parliament. In addition, Kurdish-controlled areas in the northeast, Suwayda province and parts of Hasakah and Raqqa were excluded.