SYRIA: Syria's Baath Party maintains grip in parliament vote

Record ID: 278931

  • Title: SYRIA: Syria's Baath Party maintains grip in parliament vote
  • Date: 27th April 2007
  • Summary: (MER1) DAMASCUS, SYRIA (APRIL 26, 2007) (REUTERS) SYRIAN INTERIOR MINISTER BASSAM ABDUL MAJEED ENTERING THE NEWS CONFERENCE HALL CAMERAMEN SYRIAN INTERIOR MINISTER BASSAM ABDUL MAJEED READING THE STATEMENT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN INTERIOR MINISTER BASSAM ABDUL MAJEED SAYING: "The Interior Ministry announces the results of these elections and congratulates the winners
  • Embargoed: 12th May 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA6XBPCEU4NWDCCVN1KUE7A20D5
  • Story Text: Syria's ruling Baath Party and its allies dominated parliamentary elections that were held this week. Syria's ruling Baath Party and its allies dominated parliamentary election that were held this week, results showed on Thursday (April 26).
    The winners, whose names were read by Interior Minister Bassam Abdel Majeed, were overwhelmingly from the Baath Party and other allied parties or from supporters among the business class, tribes and government-controlled unions.
    A majority in the 250-seat assembly is reserved for the Baath, which has ruled Syria for four decades, and its allies. Almost all of the candidates have been vetted and approved by the government.
    "The Interior Ministry announces the results of these elections and congratulates the winners who won the confidence of the people and wishes them success in living up to the peoples' trust and in fulfilling their obligations and the responsibilities that await them," Abdel Majeed said at the news conference.
    Dissidents boycotted the election in Raqqa, a city located in north-central Syria along the Euphrates river, and even pro-government candidates said security forces stationed around the polls had prevented people from voting freely.
    "What happened in the Raqqa round of votes is due to some voters' enthusiasm for their candidate when they felt that he may not succeed," Abdel Majeed said. "It is natural for us to intervene in this case because the protests were far from peaceful," he added.
    Abdel Majeed said that turnout was 56 percent and that the elections were democratic. The polls were held on Sunday (April 22) and Monday (April 23) without independent monitors.
    Syria has been under emergency law for four decades and no opposition parties are allowed. It holds elections every four years for its assembly, called the Council of the People.
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