The Autonomous Administration permanently in Northeastern Syria cancels the holding of the controversial local elections
The Autonomous Administration has decided to cancel municipal elections scheduled for August in northeastern Syria in response to US and Western pressure, according to media sources.
The High Electoral Commission in the Autonomous Administration had announced last June the postponement of municipal elections to August, after it was scheduled to be held on June 11 of this year.
The Autonomous Administration attributed the decision to the postponement to the demands of political parties and alliances that requested the postponement due to the lack of time allocated for the electoral campaign, and to secure a sufficient period to address international organizations to monitor the elections.
An Autonomous Administration official, who preferred not to be named for security reasons, said the decision to cancel the elections was made during a meeting of the Syria Democratic Council and political parties in the city of Raqqa.
He explained that the SDF and the Syria Democratic Council informed political parties of the decision to cancel because of great pressure from the United States and Western countries, such as France and Britain.
The source pointed out that Washington and France warned against holding elections in light of Turkish threats, and the lack of conditions that guarantee safe and democratic elections in the region.
Western countries have also argued that the lack of participation of all political parties and actors in the region loses the legitimacy of elections and reinforces the dominance of one political party over local authority.
Ilham Ahmed, a senior leader of the Syria Democratic Council, explained that the decision to cancel the elections came at the request and advice of five Western countries, without naming them, according to an official who attended the meeting.
Administration’s plans to hold elections, with Zeki Aktürk, a public relations and media adviser at the Turkish Ministry of Defense, stating that Ankara won’t allow the imposition of a fait accompli that threatens its national security and violates the territorial integrity of Syria.
Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler also stressed that the SDF’s plans to organize elections are unacceptable and pose a threat to Turkish national security.
