ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdish parties criticized the level of Kurdish representation and the voting mechanism used in Syria’s interim parliamentary elections after Kurdish candidates secured only nine seats following delayed voting in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Sunday.
The elections were held in Kurdish-majority areas stretching from Kobane to Qamishli city in Rojava and marked the first parliamentary vote in areas controlled by Kurdish forces in nearly 15 years, following the fall of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024.
The elections are part of Syria’s transitional political process under the interim authorities in Damascus.
According to the results, Kurdish candidates secured nine seats in the interim parliament, while six Arab lawmakers were elected in the Kurdish-majority areas.
The elections in the area had originally been delayed due to disputes between the Syrian interim government and Kurdish authorities over political representation, autonomy, integration of Kurdish-led forces, and ongoing security concerns.
Under the current parliamentary structure, 140 lawmakers are elected while 70 are appointed directly by the presidency.
Kurds secured one seat in Hasaka, two in Qamishli, one in Derik (al-Malikiyah), one in Kobane, and one in Aleppo. Three were elected in Afrin in October. In Hasaka province, which includes Qamishli, Sari Kani (Ras al-Ain) and Derik, 15 parliamentary seats were allocated, with 10 filled through elections and five reserved for presidential appointment.
The process drew criticism from Kurdish political figures, who argued that representation fell short of expectations and that the voting system limited broader public participation.
The ruling Democratic Union Party (PYD), which dominates the Autonomous Administration in Rojava, did not officially field candidates but reportedly backed several independents, including some eventual winners.
Foza Alyusuf, a senior PYD official, criticized the process on X on Sunday, saying, “The individuals were pre-selected in advance, and the ballot box is merely a cover for these appointments. This means the policy of excluding the will of the Kurdish people is still continuing.”
The election mechanism itself also faced criticism because ordinary citizens did not vote directly. Instead, lawmakers were selected by limited electoral bodies made up of approved local figures. Depending on the district, those bodies consisted of between 100 and 207 voters.
Anas Abdeh, a member of Syria’s high electoral commission, defended the process on Monday, saying that “there are Kurdish members of parliament in Kobane and Afrin. While it is true that Hasaka has a specific Kurdish character, Kurds have also achieved success in other places.”
The elections followed months of negotiations between Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), culminating in a US-mediated agreement in January that paved the way for political participation in areas governed by the Kurdish autonomous administration.
Among the Kurdish winners was Fasla Yousef, a senior figure in the Kurdish National Council (ENKS), the main Kurdish opposition bloc in Rojava.
Following her victory, she told Rudaw: “We will work for the Kurdish cause and all Syrians… We will defend all Syrians.”
She added that she planned to take the parliamentary oath in both Kurdish and Arabic and wear Kurdish clothing during parliament’s first session.