Syrians go to polls in 2020 parliamentary elections held after Covid-19 lockdown

Syria is holding parliamentary elections this Sunday, with polling stations open across the government-administered parts of the country. Some 250 seats on the People's Council of Syria are up for grabs, with 1,656 candidates, among them 200 women, running for election.

The ruling Baath party, led by President Bashar Assad, is expected to win most seats on the council, on a par with a few allied parties. Voting will run until 7pm local time on Sunday, but the process could be prolonged by five additional hours if the country's Elections Committee so decides, according to state news agency SANA.

Damascus had initially planned to hold the elections in mid-April, but the date was rescheduled twice due to public health concerns and the ongoing coronavirus crisis.