Syria held its first parliamentary election since the fall of the Assad regime on Sunday, signaling a potential turning point for the Middle Eastern nation after decades of autocratic rule.
Thousands of voters across multiple provinces participated in regional electoral colleges throughout the day to select lawmakers. Final results are expected on TODAY. The election will determine two-thirds of the 210 seats in the new parliament, while President Ahmed al-Sharaa will appoint the remaining one-third.
Describing the vote as a “historic” moment, President al-Sharaa emphasized the speed and organization of the election, noting that it provides Syrians with the opportunity to choose their representatives for the first time in decades.
“This moment is crucial for all Syrians. It is time to rebuild our nation together,” al-Sharaa said during a visit to the National Library polling center in Damascus. He added that the establishment of a functional parliament is key to accelerating reconstruction and addressing numerous pending issues across the country.
Al-Sharaa, a former rebel commander, assumed the presidency after leading the major offensive that captured Damascus in December 2024, ending the Assad family’s 50-year rule.
The election comes shortly after reports of an alleged assassination attempt on Bashar al-Assad, the former Syrian president, who has been living under political asylum in Russia. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Assad fell critically ill and was hospitalized near Moscow on September 20, allegedly due to poisoning. He was discharged on September 29, with access restricted to his brother, Maher al-Assad, and former official Mansour Azzam.
The parliamentary vote marks a critical juncture in Syria’s post-Assad transition, as the country seeks to establish new governance structures, restore political stability, and accelerate reconstruction efforts after years of conflict and unrest.