Parliamentary Elections Started in Syria at 7:00 a.m. Local Time

May 07, 2012

DAMASCUS, (SANA)_The Syrians headed to the ballot boxes today morning at 7:00 a.m. local time (4:00 GMT) as to exercise their right in electing the People's Assembly (Parliament) members according the New Constitution adopted last February.

The Syrian streets, press, websites and social media reflected the flurry of the electoral propaganda, stopped at 7:00 am yesterday, which helped introduce the candidates, their platforms and statements to the electorate.

The political parties, trends and powers and independent candidates are taking part in the elections with electoral rolls, alliances or independently under a judicial supervision that ensures fairness, freedom and democracy for the electorate in choosing their representatives.

The Syrians hope that the elections will chart the future of Syria as the ballot box will reveal the popular support for the candidates regardless of their political or party affiliations.

Assistant Interior Minister for Civil Affairs Brigadier-General Hassan Jalai declared yesterday that the Ministry has taken all necessary measures to provide the electoral centers in all constituencies, adding that all necessary requirements for the electoral process to go smoothly have been provided. The elections are due to last until 22:00 pm , and then vote-counting would start in attendance of the candidates.

7,195 candidates , including 710 women, representing the social spectrum, 2632 of whom with university degrees, are competing through 12, 152 electoral centers for 250 parliamentary seats, 127 of which are allocated to peasants and laborers, in 15 electoral constituencies.

According to the General Elections' Law, the number of citizens who completed 18 years of age and have the right to participate in the elections reached 14,788,644 including the expatriates; military members of Army and police don’t have the right to elect as long as they are in military service.

Election centers were also set up at the air, marine and land border crossings as to enable citizens leaving or arriving in Syria to practice their right to elect.

Yesterday, Information Minister Dr. Adnan Mahmoud asserted that the elections are to be held in an atmosphere of democracy and political pluralism according to the elections' law which tasked the independent judiciary with overseeing the elections through the Higher Committee of Elections.

Dr. Mahmoud added that the atmosphere of political and media freedom that the state guaranteed under the constitution allowed the candidates and parties to express their platforms, and electoral campaigns were held in a competitive atmosphere.

The Syrian TV is broadcasting live the ongoing elections from over 50 locations all over Syria, in addition to media coverage by correspondents of more than 200 Arab and foreign media outlets , not to mention 100 personalities from Arab and foreign countries.