The committee which organised Syria's first parliamentary elections since the fall of Bashar al-Assad has acknowledged significant shortcomings, after results showed only 13% of the seats contested were won by female and minority candidates.
Observers stated six women and ten members of religious and ethnic minorities were among the 119 people elected to the new People's Assembly on Sunday.
There was no direct popular vote; rather, electoral colleges selected representatives for two-thirds of the 210 seats, with the remaining seats appointed by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
An election committee spokesman acknowledged that the president's choices might compensate for the underrepresented components of society.
Twenty-one seats remain unfilled due to postponed polls in Kurdish-controlled provinces and areas plagued by recent military conflicts.
Sharaa characterized the elections as a historic moment and stated the parliament would fulfill an important oversight role over its 30-month term, promising a democratic political transition post-Assad's regime.
Nonetheless, the country continues to experience sectarian violence that fuels distrust among diverse communities.
Only 14% of the candidates were female, with no quotas mandated for women or minority members. The electoral committee admitted to the underwhelming representation of women and Christians in the assembly.
The US estimates that Christians constitute about 10% of Syria's 24 million population, while Sunni Muslims account for 74%, with additional religious groups included.
In light of the elections, the Syrian Democratic Council criticized the voting as unrepresentative of the Syrian people's will.
Recent clashes in Kurdish regions and tensions with the Druze minority signal ongoing instability, prompting Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra to declare a ceasefire with Kurdish leaders amid heightened conflicts.
