Decree No. (143) of 2025, issued by the Transitional President of Syria regarding the temporary electoral system for the Syrian Parliament (the Syrian Parliament), is a pivotal document during this transitional phase. It was supposed to represent a major milestone on the path of political transformation following years of conflict and open the door to free and fair elections that reflect the will of the diverse components of the Syrian people. However, a close reading of its provisions reveals an electoral system plagued by deep structural flaws, rendering it far from meeting even the minimum international standards for political participation.

In this position paper, the undersigned Syrian entities provide a critical human rights-based review of the decree and offer a set of recommendations.

The undersigned entities acknowledge the difficulty of holding direct general elections at this stage, given Syria’s fragile and complex situation and the displacement of millions. However, we emphasize the need to reconsider the temporary electoral system to make it more inclusive, balanced, respectful of the separation of powers, and capable of enabling the transitional Parliament to fulfill key tasks, including preparing for the election of a constitutional drafting committee and paving the way for presidential, legislative, and local elections via direct vote.

Signatory Entities:

1. Syrian Center for Justice and Accountability (SJAC)
2. Justice for Life (JFL)
3. Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ)
4. Caesar Files for Justice (CF4J(
5. Access Center for Human Rights (ACHR)
6. Musawa
7. Huquqyat
8. Badael
9. PÊL- Civil Waves
10. Association of Detainees and The Missing in Sednaya Prison (ADMSP)
11. Women Now for Development
12. Syrian Center for Policy Research (SCPR)
13. The Syrian Women’s Political Movement (SWPM)
14. Dawlaty

To read the paper, please click here