Syria Sets Dates for First Post-Assad Elections Amid Fragile Transition

Syria is heading into its first parliamentary elections since the dramatic fall of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad last December — and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

The vote, scheduled to take place between September 15 and 20, was announced by Mohammed Taha al-Ahmad, head of the country’s top election body. These elections will be the first real test of the new authorities now running Damascus and trying to steady a country still deep in crisis.

According to officials, one-third of the 210 parliamentary seats will be directly appointed by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The rest will be filled through elections — or at least something close to them. Each province will get its own electoral college to manage the vote, said Hassan al-Daghim, another member of the organizing committee.

This comes after al-Sharaa signed off on a temporary constitution in March, paving the way for a transitional People’s Committee to act as parliament. But don’t expect stability anytime soon — a permanent constitution and fully-fledged general elections could be years away.

Meanwhile, the country remains deeply fractured, and tensions are flaring fast. Just this month, deadly sectarian clashes erupted in Suwayda province in the south. The violence, sparked by kidnappings between armed Bedouin clans and local Druze fighters, quickly escalated. Hundreds were killed in the chaos.

When government forces stepped in, it wasn’t exactly neutral peacekeeping. Reports say troops aligned themselves with the clans, carried out summary executions of Druze civilians, and looted homes.

That drew in Israel, which launched air strikes on government positions — including a hit on the Defence Ministry — saying it was stepping in to protect the Druze community.

So while Damascus tries to paint a picture of democratic renewal, on the ground the reality looks far messier — with old power struggles, sectarian tensions, and regional interventions shaping what’s next for post-Assad Syria.

With input from Al Jazeera