Election to the Constituent Assembly of Syria in 1961

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The Syrian parliamentary elections of 1961 were the first free democratic elections in Syria after the Syrian Republic split off from the United Arab Republic (1958–1961). The election took place on December 1st and 2nd of that year. It was also the last free and democratic election in Syrian history .

Preparations

On October 29, 1961, the Election Act of 1949 was restored and approved by Parliamentary Decree No. 56 modified. The basic provisions of the 1949 Act remained in effect: every Syrian citizen over the age of 18 has the right to vote ; one MP for every 30,000 voters; separate representation for non-Muslim and Bedouin tribes . Some of the more important changes were giving women the right to stand as electorate - in addition to the right to vote, granted in 1949. December 1st was targeted as election day. The electoral law also stipulated that voting should be extended until December 2nd if less than 51% of voters had cast their votes when the ballot boxes closed on December 1st. The deadline for the nomination of candidates was set for November 22nd. The constituencies were adjusted for a total of 172 seats. The total number of candidates was found to be 1,876 on election night, including 11 women.

Communist candidates were excluded from the election.

Transitional government

The government decided that ministers who stood as candidates in the elections should step down from their posts in the cabinet. Accordingly, the resignation of the following ministers was announced on November 18: Léon Zamariya (finance and remuneration), Farhan al-Jandali (health), Fuad al-Adil (labor and social affairs) and Said al-Sayyed (agrarian reform). In addition, Prime Minister Maamun al-Kuzbari also resigned and handed over his post to Deputy Prime Minister Izzat al-Nouss (Minister of Education) on November 20 . Dr. al-Nouss, the new prime minister, emphasized in a declaration of principle the transitional character of his government, the most important task of which was to hold the elections "at the scheduled date and in an atmosphere of neutrality, indivisibility and trust".

Three days before the official campaigns began, the army command issued a statement confirming their neutrality in the elections. The statement also stated that several candidates falsely posed as Army nominations.

Campaign Regulations

The duration of the election campaigns was set between November 22nd and November 29th. The regulations were aimed at exercising full freedom: there was a ban during the electoral term on anything that could harm the security of the army or public safety. Propaganda on television and radio was prohibited. Releases of election material in the press had to be monitored by neutral committees in each province.

Election campaign

Although the official campaign started on November 22nd, an electoral atmosphere was evident earlier. Officially allowed propaganda was very limited. Each candidate was allowed to make only one 65 line statement, which was approved by the election committee - in morning and evening newspapers.

Factions

On election night there were two main factions: Conservatives on the right, who called for the abolition of the socialist measures that were enacted during the Union, and left, who wanted them to be retained. On the other hand, all political groups wanted democratic competition. The leading Lebanese newspaper al-Jareeda foresaw a conservative victory in Damascus , mainly because of the disagreement among rivals. Hama and Homs appeared to be more inclined to the left, largely because of their sensitivity to peasant problems. In the Kurdish al-Jazeera and in the Druze Mountains , the family factor and clan membership were decisive.

elections

The election was held on December 1st. It took place in an orderly manner and in a calm atmosphere. In most constituencies, more than 51% of the electorate had cast their votes by the time the polls closed on December 1; in the remaining constituencies, the polling stations reopened at 5:00 am on December 2nd. The election for the meeting was secret; Voters received a blank envelope and a white ballot paper and voted in the privacy of booths.

Participation

There were no official results, but estimates put the number of eligible voters between 1,000,000 and 1,250,000. According to the Syrian Ministry of the Interior, participation in the various constituencies varied from 48% to 84%, "a number that has not previously been reached in Syria." In the capital, Damascus , the turnout was 46%.

Results

At the time of the elections, all political parties were officially dissolved. Hence, there were only independent candidates or non-party lists, and the results were interpreted on the basis of party affiliation and right versus left tendencies.

Political party proportion of Seats +/-
People's Party 19.2% 33 +3
National party 12.2% 21st +2
Ba'ath Arab Socialist Party 11.6% 20th −2
Muslim Brotherhood 5.8% 10 +10
Arab liberation movement 2.3% 4th +2
Syrian Social Nationalist Party 0% 0 −2
Socialist Cooperation Party 0% 0 −2
Syrian Communist Party 0% 0 −1
Kurdistan Democratic Party 0% 0 New
Assyrian Democratic Organization 0% 0 New
Independent 48.8% 84 +20
total 100% 172 +30
Source: Nohlen et al

It was widely believed that the results were a victory for the political right. The success of the Muslim Brotherhood , which was seen as "extreme right", and the "anti- Nasser " elements were also noticed. According to party affiliation, the People's Party remained the strongest faction, which at the same time attracted many independents; the National Party and the Ba'ath Party followed. At the first meeting of the assembly on December 12th, it elected Maamun al-Kuzbari as speaker of parliament with 114 votes and on December 14th, Nazem Koudsi , chairman of the People's Party, with a majority of 153 votes as president of the republic.

bibliography

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ D. Nohlen et al. (Ed.): Elections in Asia: A data handbook. Volume I, 2001, ISBN 0-19-924958-X , p. 221.
  2. ↑ a b Oron: Middle East Record. Volume 2, 1967, p. 499.
  3. ↑ a b c d Oron: Middle East Record. Volume 2, 1967, p. 500.
  4. ↑ Volker Perthes: State and Society in Syria 1970 - 1989 , Hamburg, 1990, p. 58
  5. ↑ a b Oron: Middle East Record. Volume 2, 1967, p. 501.
  6. ↑ a b Oron: Middle East Record. Volume 2, 1967, p. 502.
  7. ↑ Oron: Middle East Record. Volume 2, 1967, p. 503.
  8. ↑ Oron: Middle East Record. Volume 2, 1967, p. 506.