Syrians vote
SYRIA wound up two days of elections on Monday, its first legislative elections since President Bashar Al-Assad took office in 2000.
As Al-Ahram Weekly went to press, the results were still not in; however, there is little doubt that the new parliament, like the one before it, will be dominated by members of the seven- party Progressive National Front (PNF) coalition led by the ruling Ba'ath Party.
The Ba'ath has governed Syria since 1963 and has emerged dominant in every election over the past 30 years.
The PNF is contesting 167 seats, with the remaining 83 places set aside for "independents". A total of 4,945 candidates are contesting 250 seats in the People's Assembly to represent Syria's 15 provinces, while the electorate numbers 10.8 million people.
The elected National Assembly can pass laws, amend the constitution and vote down the Cabinet. But the Ba'ath Party has the final say on major political, military and foreign policy decisions.
The government set up 11,400 voting stations throughout the country. There was no official estimate of the turnout but Interior Minister Ali Hammoud said on Sunday it was "strong". Several candidates disagreed, arguing that it was "less than expected".
A spokesman for five opposition parties boycotting the vote, Hassan Abdul-Azim, said "participation is weak because Syrians are not interested in elections when the results are known beforehand."
Still, the election comes in an era of political debate unlike any Syria has seen in decades. The mere presence of an opposition that criticises the establishment marks a significant achievement over Syria's past rigid control.
Opposition figures like Michelle Kilo acknowledged that a degree of change was apparent but added that the assembly still had too little power compared with that of the ruling party.
Syrian analyst Thabet Salem said the new parliament will have a major task ahead of it: pushing through political and economic reforms promised by Assad when he came to power, and desired by Syrian voters.
The new government must "approve the privatisation laws for banks and universities, modernise the administration and pursue the fight against corruption", Salem said.
Among the boycotting parties was that of communist militant Riad Turk. Turk was released from prison in November following a presidential pardon but has spent most of the last 20 years behind bars without charge.
Opposition groups have been hoping for a new law on parties to be passed, making their parties legal.
