Controversial Syrian Parliamentary Elections Amidst Ongoing Conflict and Economic Struggles

Syrians in government-controlled areas went to the polls to elect a new parliament, a process widely criticized by opposition groups. The elections, which yielded little surprise, saw two-thirds of seats reserved for President Assad's Baath party amidst ongoing civil conflict and economic despair.

In government-held areas of Syria, citizens headed to the polls on Monday to elect a new parliament. Widely criticized by the opposition, the election is seen as yielding few surprises and is labelled a farce. Voters were selecting 250 lawmakers to serve in the parliament, an institution with minimal real power due to Syria's presidential system, wherein President Bashar al-Assad's Baath party holds two-thirds of the seats.

More than 13 years since the onset of the brutal Syrian civil war, Assad's government, bolstered by Iranian and Russian support, controls most of Syria. Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces hold the north-east, while the north-west remains under the control of Islamist and Turkish-backed rebels. The nation's economy continues to suffer, beset by high inflation, scant foreign investment, and Western sanctions, alongside a stalled U.N-led political resolution process.

At a Damascus polling center, government employee Bassem Badran expressed hopes that the newly elected chamber might stabilize the economic situation. However, the Istanbul-based Syrian Negotiation Commission, representing mainstream opposition groups, denounced the elections as a theatrical sham. In the Druze stronghold of Sweida, protesters demanded a boycott, with activists blocking highways and local elders urging eligible voters to abstain.

(With inputs from agencies.)