Syria holds first parliamentary elections under new leadership

Syria will hold its first parliamentary elections on Sunday since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, the BBC writes.

There will be no direct vote for the People’s Assembly, which will be responsible for legislation during a transitional period.

Instead, “electoral colleges” will select representatives for two-thirds of the 210 seats. Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa will appoint the rest.

Long-time former President Assad was ousted by Sharaa’s forces 10 months ago after a 13-year civil war.

Authorities say they have postponed the polls for security reasons in two Kurdish- controlled provinces and a third which saw deadly fighting between government forces and Druze militias.

The polls are being overseen by the Higher Committee for the Syrian People’s Assembly Elections, whose 11 members were chosen by the president in June.

Through this process, electoral colleges in 50 out of 60 districts will elect around 120 representatives, as elections have been delayed in three provinces.