Syria was choosing a Parliament on Sunday for the first time since rebels led by Ahmed al-Shara, the current president, overthrew Bashar al-Assad 10 months ago and ended a devastating civil war.
The public is not voting directly for the lawmakers, and Mr. al-Shara is appointing a third of the 210 members of Parliament directly. Nevertheless, some Syrians have welcomed this as a step forward after more than five decades of dictatorship under the Assad family.
Critics say the vote is unrepresentative and suspect that Mr. al-Shara is using it to consolidate power.
The election is not being held across the entire country and a number of minority groups are not participating. Areas that are not yet fully under control of the national government are excluded from the elections.
They include the parts of Raqqa and Hasakah Provinces run by a Kurdish-led administration. And the entire southern province of Sweida, where hundreds were killed this summer in clashes between Bedouin tribes and members of the Druse religious minority, is also excluded.
Although it is unclear how much authority the Parliament will ultimately have, for a country emerging from decades of dictatorship, this could represent a milestone and a step toward more democratic rule.
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The post Syria Chooses Its First Parliament Since End of Civil War appeared first on New York Times.
