Interview | Leader in Syrian Democratic Left Party: “Presidential elections would be a mere show”
As the Syrian regime has been preparing for running the presidential elections slated for on May 26, the opposition factions continue their condemnation, stressing the process of illegitimacy. The opposition also renewed their calls on the international community to intervene and stop that “absurd” which has been backed by Iran and Russia for reproducing the same regime.
The leader in the Syrian Democratic Left Party, Zaki Daroby told the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, in an exclusive interview, that the incoming presidential election will not be nothing but a “farcical show”.
“The regime that has practice oppression and murder for decades, since seizing the power by a military coup, and has never been ashamed of being turning into an international mafia for trading drugs and antiquities, will not be ashamed of running a symbolic election,” he said.
“By holding this election, the Syrian regime rejects any political solution, opposes the implementation of the UN resolutions and refuses any fundamental concession that may turn the regime in Syria into multipartyism, create democratic and civil state and put an end to the social, economic and political malaise that has plagued the Syrians for the past ten years. Through this farcical election, the regime leans on, after excluding the oppression of the regime military forces, intelligence service and proxy militia, some laws that draw a scenario that only serves the regime.”
He reiterated, “the regime by virtue of the 2012 constitution, that has been drafted against the free will of the Syrian people who were under intensive fire by explosive barrels and ballistic missiles, set several conditions stipulating that the presidency candidate should carry the Syrian nationality since his birth, with a Syrian-national parent by birth, not married to a foreigner, and resident in Syria for at least ten consicutive years.”
He further explained that the 2012 constitution also stipulated that the candidate for the president post, in accordance with article 85\3, gets the approval of 35 members of the People Assembly. However, meeting the requirement of the article 85\3 is impossible bearing in mind that Al-Assad Baath party controls 136 seats out of 250, and his allies in the National Progressive Front who agrees on the president candidacy controls 17 seats, while the independents including the militia and corrupt persons control 67 seats. That condition will prevent any other candidate to reach the election stage and compete with the regime unless he is completely supported by the ruling regime.
Concerning the Supreme Judicial Committee that supervises the People Assembly’s elections that has been enforced by virtue of the Public Election Laws of 2014 in article A|8, Daroby sees that the committee is completely subordinated by the Syrian regime president who heads the “Supremes Judiciary Council” that controls the judges’ affairs including appointment, resignment and promotion according to article 133 of the Syrian constitution.
“The regime president also chairs the judiciary authority in Syria by virtue of article 65 of the Syrian Judicial Authority. Al-Assad, based on article 140 of the Syrian constitution, is additionally entitled to appoint the members of the Supreme Constitutional Court and take their oath. Furthermore, those judges have the right to supervise the presidential elections and appeal on it and announce its results, in accordance with article 34 of the Public Elections Law.”
The leftist leader pointed out that all the aforementioned explanation means the regime is completely controlling the presidential election starting from the candidacy to the announcing or appealing on the results.
Daroby further stressed that the regime’s legal, security, military and legislative system has been designed to serve the head of the regime and to prolong the age of tyranny and prevent any margin of promoting freedom or democracy in Syria. He added “the aim of this symbolic elections is to fail any democratic transfer in Syria or reaching any political settlement that may achieve the Syrians’ aspirations of liberating from the tyranny regime and moving towards a democratic regime which the Syrians have been all along striving for.”