| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Majlis Al-Chaab / People's Assembly |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
13 April 2016 |
| Purpose of elections |
On 22 February 2016, President Bashar al-Assad issued a decree calling elections to the People's Assembly for 13 April. The elections were held during the ongoing civil war that began in late 2011. Elections took place with talks, led by the United Nations, on a possible political transition, including the possibility of a new constitution and presidential and parliamentary elections by September 2017.
Opposition forces called for a boycott of the 2016 elections, accusing the government of using the vote to gain leverage in the peace talks. The High Negotiations Committee, the main opposition force in exile, termed the vote "illegitimate".
The National Unity alliance, supporting President al-Assad and his Baath Party, won 200 seats in the 250-member People's Assembly. Many candidates reportedly focused on security issues. On 2 May, the President issued a decree naming winners of parliamentary elections.
Elections did not take place in Raqa and Idlib provinces, which are controlled by the so-called Islamic State and the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front. Amid the violence, fewer Syrians registered to vote in 2016: 8.8 million, down from 10.1 million in 2012. Over 140,000 refugees returned to the country in order to vote. According to the Higher Judicial Committee for Elections, turnout in 2016 was 57.56%, up from 51.26 % in 2012.
|
Date of previous elections: 7 May 2012
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 23 May 2016
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry*
*The four-year term of the outgoing legislature started on 24 May 2012. Elections needed to be held between 24 March and 24 May 2016 in accordance with article 62 of the Constitution.
Expected date of next elections: April 2020
Number of seats at stake: 250 (full renewal)
Number of candidates: About 3,500*
*Initially 11,341 people submitted their candidacy but only 3,500 remained in race by the polling day.
Percentage of women candidates: Not available.
Number of parties contesting the election: Not available
Number of parties winning seats: 6
Alternation of power: No
Number of parties in government: 5
Names of parties in government: Baath Arab Party, Syrian Communist Party, Syrian Social Nationalist Party, Socialist Unionists, Socialist Union Party.
Note: The Government also include independent members.
Date of the first session of the new parliament: 6 June 2016
Name of the new Speaker: Ms. Hadiyeh Khalaf Abbas
|
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 13 April 2016 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
8'834'994
5'085'444 (57.56%)
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| Baath Arab Party |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Independents |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Syrian Social Nationalist Party |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Syrian Communist Party |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Socialist Unionists |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Socialist Union Party |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Haraka al-'ahd al-waTani |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| Baath Arab Party |
172
|
|
|
|
|
| Independents |
62
|
|
|
|
|
| Syrian Social Nationalist Party |
7
|
|
|
|
|
| Syrian Communist Party |
4
|
|
|
|
|
| Socialist Unionists |
2
|
|
|
|
|
| Socialist Union Party |
2
|
|
|
|
|
| Haraka al-'ahd al-waTani |
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
217
33
13.20%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
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| Comments |
Sources:
People's Assembly (30.05.2016, 13.07.2017)
http://sana.sy/en/?p=74769
http://www.france24.com
http://www.globalresearch.ca |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
