Syrian parliamentary election, 2007

Syrian parliamentary election, 2007

22 April 2007

All 250 seats to the Parliament of Syria 126 seats were needed for a majority Turnout 56.12%   First party Second party   Leader Bashar al-Assad Party Ba'ath Party Independent Alliance National Progressive Front Last election 167 83 Seats won 169 81 Seat change 2 2

Speaker before election Mahmoud al-Abrash Ba'ath Party Elected Speaker Mahmoud al-Abrash Ba'ath Party

Parliamentary elections were held in Syria on 22 April 2007.^[1] The number of seats reserved for the parties in the National Progressive Front was increased to 170 from 167, decreasing the seats for independents to 80 from 83.^[2] The election was boycotted by the opposition in exile, who described it as a "farce".^[3]

Pre-election events

The number of entrants to the parliamentary election race at the deadline reached 9,770, of whom 2,293 were approved, including 158 women. The entrants competed for 250 seats which are divided among the 14 governorates of Syria as follows:

Governorate	Seats	Percentage
Damascus	29	11.6%
Rif Dimashq	19	7.6%
Quneitra	5	2%
Daraa	10	4%
As Suwaydā'	6	2.4%
Homs	23	9.2%
Tartous	13	5.2%
Latakia	17	6.8%
Hama	22	8.8%
Idlib	18	7.2%
Aleppo	52	20.8%
Ar Raqqah	8	3.2%
Deir ez-Zor	14	5.6%
Al Hasakah	14	5.6%

Results

According to results released on 26 April 2007, the National Progressive Front won 169 seats, while independents won the other 81 seats.^[4] Turnout was 56.12% of the 11.96 million eligible voters, and 30 female candidates were elected, exactly as many as in 2003.^[5] Opponents of the government and human rights activists claimed fraud and a turnout of at most 10 percent.^[6]

Election results:
     National Progressive Front
     Non-partisans

 Summary of the 22 April 2007 People's Council of Syria election results

Parties	Votes	%	Seats	Seats inside NPF
National Progressive Front (al-jabha al-waTaniyyah at-taqaddumiyyah)			169
Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party (Hizb al-ba'th al-'arabi al-ishtiraki)				134
Arab Socialist Union (al-ittiHad al-ishtiraki al-'arabi)				8
Socialist Unionists (al-wahdawiyyun al-ishtirakiyyun)				6
Communist Party of Syria (al-Hizb ash-shuyu'i as-suri, Wissal Farha Bakdash faction)				5
Democratic Socialist Unionist Party (al-Hizb al-waHdawi al-ishtiraki ad-dimuqraTi)				4
Arab Socialist Movement (Harakat al-ishtirakiyyun al-'arab)				3
Communist Party of Syria (al-Hizb ash-shuyu'i as-suri, Yusuf Faisal faction)				3
National Vow Movement (Harakat al-'ahd al-waTani)				3
Syrian Social Nationalist Party (al-Hizb as-suri al-qawmi al-ijtima'i)				2
Arabic Democratic Unionist Party (Hizb al-ittihad al-'arabi ad-dimuqrati)				1
Social Democratic Unionists (al-wahdawiuyyun ad-dimuqratiyyun al-ijtima'iyyun)				0
non-partisans			81
Total (turnout 56.12 %)			250
Source: Syrian parliament

References

1. Syria to hold election on April 22 Press TV, Accessed 27 April 2007
2. Criticism of the Upcoming Parliamentary Elections in the Official Syrian Press and Among the Syrian Opposition Middle East Media Research Institute, Accessed 27 April 2007
3. Ruling Syrian party wins election BBC News, Accessed 27 April 2007
4. Syria's ruling party wins parliament elections People's Daily, Accessed 27 April 2007
5. Syria's ruling party wins in vote Houston Chronicle, Accessed 27 April 2007
6. JTW News - Elections in Syria