Syria to Form New Government Without General Elections; Ministers to Be Selected by Committees and President

Nearly a year after the Assad regime was overthrown, Syria is preparing to form a new transitional government without holding general elections. The Syrian Election Commission announced that the selection process for a transitional cabinet will take place on October 5. Unlike standard democratic elections, political parties will not participate, and details on public involvement remain unclear, raising concerns about the process’s democratic legitimacy.

Following the HTS takeover, Syria’s People’s Assembly was dissolved. In its place, a transitional cabinet is being formed to govern for the next five years. The cabinet will comprise 210 members: 140 nominated by local committees under the supervision of the Election Commission, and 70 directly selected by President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

The Election Commission stated on its Telegram channel that the process will be conducted across Syria’s provinces, though it did not confirm whether all provinces will participate. Elections in the Druze-majority Sweida province and Kurdish-controlled regions of Raqqa and Hasakeh have been delayed due to security and political instability. In July, clashes in Sweida turned deadly, prompting Israeli airstrikes in the area.

According to the March Constitutional Declaration, the transitional parliament will serve a 30-month term until a permanent constitution is adopted and new elections can be held.