Syrian electors cast ballots in indirect vote for first post-Assad parliament

Members of Syria's electoral colleges will gather on Sunday to vote for new lawmakers, a milestone in the country's shift away from the ousted regime of Bashar al-Assad and a major test of inclusivity under its current Islamist-led authorities.

President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who came to power after his rebel offensive toppled Assad in December, is trying to consolidate his hold over a nation fractured by a 14-year war and bouts of sectarian violence that fueled distrust of him among minorities.

The indirect vote will see a combined 6,000 electors cast ballots at regional electoral colleges starting around 9:00 a.m. local (0600 GMT), with polls closing around 5:00 p.m. (1400 GMT).

A committee appointed by Sharaa approved 1,570 candidates who showcased their platforms in seminars and debates this week. But public electioneering was muted, with no posters or billboards visible in major cities, Reuters reporters said.

Sunday's vote will determine two-thirds of the 210-seat parliament, and results are expected the same night. But the legislature will not be formally established until Sharaa, a former Al Qaeda fighter, selects the remaining third.

The authorities say they resorted to this system rather than universal suffrage due to a lack of reliable population data and following the displacement of millions of Syrians by the war. 

Citing security and political reasons, they postponed the vote in three provinces held by minority groups - leaving 19 seats in parliament empty.  

Critics have slammed those moves, saying a partial and indirect vote is unrepresentative and too centrally managed.

Analysts say Sharaa's selection of 70 lawmakers will ultimately determine the new body's effectiveness and legitimacy: choosing women or minority lawmakers could add diversity, but loyalists could help him to issue laws without a legislative challenge.