At stake in this election:

• 250 seats in the People's Council (Majlis al-shaab)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Hafiz al-ASAD
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Mahmud ZUBI
• Assembly: Syria has a unicameral People's Council (Majlis al-shaab) with 250 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is approved by popular referendum to serve a 7-year term.
• The Prime Minister is appointed by parliament.
• In the People's Council (Majlis al-shaab) 250 members are elected by proportional representation to serve 4-year terms.***

*** The main electoral alliance in Syria is the National Progressive Front (NPF). It is composed of the Baath Party, the Communist Party of Syria (HSS), the Arab Socialist Union (IIA), the Socialist Unity Party (HTI), the Arab Socialist Movement (HA), and the Socialist Unionist Democratic Party (HDTI). All of them won seats in the parliament. The remainder of the People's Assembly is composed of independent members.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: Ba'ath Party
  • Leader: Hafiz al-ASAD
  • Seats won in this election: 135
  • Seats won in last election: 135
• Party: Communist Party of Syria (HSS))
  • Leader: Yusuf FAYSAL and Wisal FARAH BAGHDASH
  • Seats won in this election: 8
  • Seats won in last election: 8
• Party: Arab Socialist Union (IIA)
  • Leader: Jamal ATASSI, Safwan KOUDSI
  • Seats won in this election: 7
  • Seats won in last election: 7
• Party: Socialist Unity Party (HTI)
  • Leader: Sami SOUFAN
  • Seats won in this election: 7
  • Seats won in last election: 7
• Party: Arab Socialist Movement (HA)
  • Leader: Abd al-Ghani KANNUT
  • Seats won in this election: 6
  • Seats won in last election: 6
• Party: Socialist Unionist Democratic Party (HDTI)
  • Leader: Ahmad al-ASAD and Ghassan UTHMAN
  • Seats won in this election: 4
  • Seats won in last election: 4
• Party: Independent Candidates
  • Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in this election: 83
  • Seats won in last election: 83

Last Parliamentary election:

• Parliamentary elections were last held on August 24-25, 1994 .

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 16,673,282 (July 1998 )
• Registered Voters: 8,600,071 (1998)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 7,670,908 (1998)

·         Is Syria a signatory to CEDAW: No

·         Has Syria ratified CEDAW: Yes, accession (28 March 2003)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 26 (following the 1998 elections) 

·         Human Development Index Position: 134 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Very High (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Syria a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Syria ratified CRPD: Yes (10 July 2009)

·         Population with a disability: 2,500,992 (est.)