Jihad Murad, the head of the Supreme Judicial Committee for Elections, confirmed that most governorates had announced the results of the local administrative council elections, which took place last Sunday. These governorates include Damascus, Homs, Latakia, Tartous, Hasakeh, Deir Ezzor, Raqqa, Hama, and Quneitra. Election results for Aleppo will be announced on Wednesday after second ballots have been completed in four different centers. The governorates of Idleb, Sweida, and Daraa will announce their results after finishing vote-counting and reviewing voting objections.
In a statement to Al-Watan, Murad said it was decided, on Wednesday, to repeat the elections at six polling stations in the Rural Damascus countryside, specifically in the town of al-Hayjana in Douma, as well as in the town of al-Tuwani’s polling stations.
For his part, Director of Local Councils and Development at the Ministry of Local Administration Mohamed Iyad Al-Shamaa explained the next steps following the announcement of all election results. Decrees will be issued nominating the members of governorate councils and governorate city centers. Decrees will also be issued to members of city councils, municipalities, and towns. These councils are invited to comply with these directives within 15 days of the Minister of Local Administration issuing these decrees — otherwise, the decrees are considered effective on the 16th day.
In a statement to Al-Watan, Shamaa indicated that, once the Council is convened, the session is chaired by the session’s oldest member. The secretary, who is the youngest member, then invites the session chair to convene an election of the council’s chairman and members of the executive. Once these appointments are complete, each body distributes work amongst executive board members, according to decisions ratified by the Minister of Local Administration for the governorate councils and city center councils. Other councils are ratified by the relevant governors, with the minister’s delegated authority.
Shamaa added that draft decrees are also being prepared for naming the heads of governorate and city councils. Executive office members, however, do not need to be appointed by decree after being elected.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
