Syria to Announce Presidential Vote Date Next Week

Local Editor

The speaker of Syria’s parliament Mohamed Jihad Lahham will announce the date of the country’s presidential election next week, Al-Watan newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The daily said Lahham would make the announcement next week, but gave no details on the date for the vote.

Previously, the country’s head of state has been chosen by referendum, but a new constitution passed in 2012 mandates presidential elections for the first time.

Under Syria’s electoral law passed this year, candidates for presidential elections must have lived in the country for the previous 10 years.
According to the new constitution, the date for presidential elections must be announced between 60 and 90 days before the standing president’s term ends.

Syria’s information minister Omran al-Zohbi insisted last week that the vote would go ahead as planned and said candidates would begin presenting their applications towards the end of April.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team