Part 16/21:
President al-Shira now faces a crucial decision: whether to use his remaining presidential appointments to diversify representation or to continue cementing sectarian alliances. Many insiders suggest that further appointments might include more women and minorities, but skepticism remains high. Critics warn that the election’s opaque nature and regional exclusions risk entrenching elite rule and sectarian divisions, diverging sharply from democratic ideals.
Most ordinary Syrians remain disconnected from the political spectacle, overwhelmed by survival amid ongoing poverty, violence, and displacement. Many report they were unaware or uninterested in the elections, highlighting the insincerity or lack of genuine political reform underpinning the process.