Postponement of elections in Sweida and Kurdish regions of Syria
In the heart of southern Syria lies the majority-Druze province of Sweida, a region that has long been simmering with tensions between Druze militias and Sunni Bedouin tribes over land and resources. July saw a significant escalation of these tensions, with hundreds of people reported killed in clashes between Druze fighters and Sunni Bedouins allied with government forces. Israel, citing the prevention of a mass government slaughter of Druze in Sweida, launched airstrikes in the region.
However, the Syrian government has since announced that Bedouin fighters have pulled out of Sweida. Despite this, the ongoing conflict and security concerns have led to the decision to postpone elections in Sweida, along with Hasaka and Raqqa, until a "safe environment" is established. Most of Hasaka and parts of Raqqa are currently controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The national parliamentary elections, scheduled to be held between September 15 and 20, mark the first parliamentary election since the new Islamist government of Ahmed al-Sharaa came into power. Sharaa, who led a rebel alliance that toppled former President Bashar Assad in December, has the power to appoint one-third of the parliament's 210 members, with the remainder being selected by appointed local bodies.
The interim constitution, approved by Sharaa in March, has been criticized for putting too much power in his hands and for failing to reflect the ethnic and religious diversity of the country. Sharaa, in an attempt to woo the international political and business communities, has been seeking to rebuild Syria, which has been devastated by over a decade of civil war.
The implementation of a March deal to integrate Kurdish institutions into the central Syrian government in Damascus has been held up due to a tense standoff between SDF forces and the new government. This standoff, coupled with the ongoing conflict in Sweida, Hasaka, and Raqqa, has led to the elections being delayed in these provinces.
The Higher Committee for People's Assembly Elections has stated that the ballot will be delayed in all three provinces until a "safe environment" is in place. The Commission spokesman, Nawar Najmeh, has emphasised that the elections are a sovereign matter that can only be conducted in areas fully under government control.
As Syria continues to navigate its way through post-conflict reconstruction, the challenges of maintaining peace and ensuring a representative government remain significant. The delayed elections in Sweida, Hasaka, and Raqqa are a stark reminder of the ongoing conflicts that plague these regions and the hurdles that must be overcome to restore stability and unity to the nation.
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