Chamber:
	Majlis Al-Chaab
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	30 November 1998 1 December 1998
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament on the normal expiry of the members' term of office.
Background and outcome of elections:
	In the 1998 elections, 7364 candidates initially contested the 250 parliamentary seats. A total of 167 of these belonged to the National Progressive Front (NPF) - the seven-party governing coalition led by the Baath Party of President of the Republic Hafez al-Assad, which itself nominated 135 candidates; the NPF has been in power since being formed in 1972. During the campaign, Interior Minister Mohammed Harba urged all citizens to carry out their « national duty » and vote. On polling day, the electorate overwhelmingly backed the NPF candidates with over 66% of the popular vote, the remaining 83 seats (one-third of the overall membership) being won by independents, as before. In accordance with the Electoral Law, 127 Deputies (51%) were workers and farmers and 123 belonged to other categories. There were altogether 174 newcomers to the legislature and 26 (+ 2) women.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (30 November 1998): Elections results
Number of registered electors	6,691,323
Voters	5,501,940 (82.2%)

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total
National Progressive Front	167
Independents	83

Comments:
	The National Progressive Front is composed of Baath Arab Socialist Party (135 seats) Communist Party of Syria (8) Syrian Arab Socialist Union Party (7) Arab Socialist Unionist Party (7) Movement of Arab Socialists (6) Socialist Unionist Democratic Party (4)

Distribution of seats according to sex:
Men:	224
Women:	26

Distribution of seats according to age:
25-35 years	13
36-50 years	106
Over 50 years	131