Syria's Parliamentary Elections Underway, Assad's Party Expected to Maintain Grip on Power

The recent parliamentary election in Syria is the fourth since mass anti-government protests began in 2011. The vote excludes opposition-held northwest Syria and the country's northeast, which is under the control of the US-backed YPG, a Kurdish militant group. In government-held areas, over 1,500 candidates are vying for 250 seats in the largely ceremonial parliament. Notably, 127 seats are reserved for workers or farmers who have been nominated as candidates.