SYRIA: SEVEN MILLION SYRIANS GO TO THE POLLS TO ELECT MEMBERS TO THE 250 PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY

Record ID: 276745

  • Title: SYRIA: SEVEN MILLION SYRIANS GO TO THE POLLS TO ELECT MEMBERS TO THE 250 PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY
  • Date: 24th August 1994
  • Summary: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (AUGUST 24, 1994) 1. GVS: CARS ON STREET/ ELECTION BANNERS (3 SHOTS) 0.24 2. SV/PAN: SYRIAN FLAG, PEOPLE OUTSIDE VOTING CENTRE 0.32 3. GV: PEOPLE OUTSIDE VOTING CENTRE, BANNERS IN BACK- GROUND 0.39 4. SVS: VOTERS CASTING BALLOT IN BOX (2 SHOTS) 0.50 4. SV: SYRIAN PRIME MINISTER MAHMOUD ZU'BI SAYING
  • Embargoed: 8th September 1994 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: DAMASCUS, SYRIA
  • City:
  • Country: Syria
  • Reuters ID: LVA2VVG3M4UW8ISYWTJVXIRP5VNB
  • Story Text: More than seven million Syrians went to the polls on Wednesday (August 24) to elect their representatives to the 250-member People's Assembly (Parliament) for the next four years from among 7,266 candidates.

    Analysts do not expect a shift in policy and predict that lists of candidates of the Baath-led National Progressive Front (NPF), the ruling coalition competing for about 53 percent of seats, will win as they have done in five previous elections.

    Independent candidates include wealthy businessmen who have spent vast amounts of money on campaign posters and banners that have appeared in Damascus in the run-up to the polls.

    Singers, actors and actresses are also among candidates, who include 512 women. There are 12 women in the present Assembly.

    The NPF groups the Baath Party of President Hafez Assad, the Communist Party (two branches), the Socialist Union, Arab Socialist Party, the Unionist Socialist party and the Unionist Socialist Democratic Party.

    The NPF lists include former Assembly speaker Abdel-Qader Qaddoura and Prime Minister Mahmoud Zu'bi in addition to other members of the outgoing assembly.

    Prime Minister Zu'bi told reporters he welcomed the large range of candidates, adding that he believed that participation in the electon was very important for the country.

    Campaign statements by all candidates have included praise of Assad's domestic and foreign policies.

    The analysts say they expect the new representatives to follow outgoing members in supporting the economic reforms and peace policy towards Israel approved by the government in the last three years.


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