Syria's De Facto Leader Ahmed al-Sharaa Says Elections Could Take Four Years, Constitution Drafting Three Years

Dec 29, 2024, 12:18 PM

Ahmed al-Sharaa, the de facto leader of Syria following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad, stated that organizing elections in the country could take up to four years. In an interview with Al Arabiya, al-Sharaa emphasized that any legitimate elections would necessitate a comprehensive population census, which is a critical step in the electoral process. He also mentioned that drafting a new constitution is expected to take approximately three years. Al-Sharaa, who leads the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), asserted that the liberation of Syria would ensure regional and Gulf stability for the next 50 years. These comments mark the first detailed timeline provided by al-Sharaa regarding the political transition in Syria since the recent leadership change.