Syria held by-elections on May 24 in four northeastern districts — Hassakeh, Qamishli, Al-Malikiyah, and Ain al-Arab — filling 11 seats in the People's Assembly and marking a significant step toward convening the country's first post-Assad parliament. The vote is a key test of the ongoing state-integration process between the Syrian government and the Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria, which began in January 2026. In that context, the results — six Arab and five Kurdish MPs elected — were praised by the government as balanced, but drew criticism from Kurdish parties who felt politically sidelined, as well as from Christian and women's representatives. Transitional President Ahmad Al-Sharaa is expected to use his power to appoint 70 of the assembly's 210 MPs to correct these representational gaps.
