Nawar Najma, the spokesperson for the Supreme Committee for People’s Assembly Elections, reported this in a statement to the official Syrian al-Ikhbariya channel.

Najma said that, out of the Supreme Committee’s commitment to ensuring fair representation in the People’s Assembly for the provinces of Sweida, Hasakah and Raqqa, and in light of the security challenges they are facing, it has decided to postpone the electoral process there until appropriate conditions and a safe environment are in place.

The Syrian official confirmed that the three governorates “will retain their allocated seats until elections are held there as soon as possible.”

Sweida has been experiencing escalating security tensions following a week of armed clashes between Druze groups and Bedouin tribes, which resulted in casualties. The fighting ended with a ceasefire agreement on July 19.

As for Raqqa and Hasakah, they are controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), whose negotiations with the Syrian government regarding the implementation of an agreement signed on March 10 by Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi have stalled.

On Wednesday, the Syrian president issued a decree ratifying the interim electoral system for the People’s Assembly, which provides for the election of two-thirds of its members.

The decree stipulated that the People’s Assembly would consist of 210 members, with two-thirds elected in accordance with its provisions, while seats would be distributed among governorates based on population distribution.

The decree set out the conditions for the electoral process, expected next September, that must be met by members of the People’s Assembly and its committees, as well as the conditions for membership in the electoral body and election committees.

The interim electoral system also emphasized “preventing former governors and ministers from running for the new parliament.” The decree further stated that “the interim electoral system prohibits the candidacy of those who advocate division or secession, or those seeking external support, as well as supporters of the former regime.”