Chatham House
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The illusion of legitimacy: unveiling Syria’s sham elections
EXPERT COMMENT
Parliamentary elections are a travesty, and Syrians know it. But the vote plays an important legitimizing role for the Assad regime.
The Syrian regime held its parliamentary elections on 15 July, marking the fourth such event since the start of the country’s civil war in 2011. Despite the ongoing war, massive displacement, unresolved armed conflict, a deteriorating economy and a divided nation, President Bashar al-Assad remains unwavering in his rejection of any political transition.
Instead, Assad has turned elections into bureaucratic rituals with predetermined outcomes, using them to reward loyalists and reshuffle patronage networks.
As a result, many Syrians and analysts viewed these elections as inconsequential, dismissing them as rubber stamps lacking transparency and fairness.
Yet the Assad regime wants the participation of ordinary Syrians. Regular elections and parliamentary process help create an illusion of legal and popular legitimacy and project an image of strength and stability, both internally and externally.
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Original article link: https://www.chathamhouse.org/2024/07/illusion-legitimacy-unveiling-syrias-sham-elections
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