Editing Elections in Syria (section)

=== Timing ===
There are varying statements from Syrian officials over the expected timing of future elections. [[Hadi al-Bahra]], president of the [[Syrian National Coalition]], said that an 18-month transitional period was needed to establish "a safe, neutral, and quiet environment" for free elections, as outlined in the [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254|UNSC Resolution 2254]].<ref name="18 months">{{Cite web |title=Syrian opposition leader calls for 18 month transition period before elections |publisher=[[Reuters]] |date=December 8, 2024 |access-date=2025-01-18 |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-opposition-leader-calls-18-month-transition-period-before-elections-2024-12-08/}}</ref> However, President of Syria [[Ahmed al-Sharaa]] also stated that elections would need at least 4 years to take place.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Ebrahim |first1=Nadeen|last2=Salem|first2=Mostafa|date=30 December 2024 |title=Syrian elections could take up to 4 years to organize, de facto leader says |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/30/middleeast/syria-elections-four-years-intl/index.html |access-date=3 January 2025 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref><ref name="4years" />

During a meeting between the French and German foreign ministers and al-Sharaa, the ministers, [[Jean-Noël Barrot|Barrot]] and [[Annalena Baerbock|Baerbock]], specifically cautioned the new Syrian government against unnecessarily delaying elections.<ref name="FrGe">{{Cite web |title=French, German foreign ministers meet Syria's de facto rulers |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/3/french-german-foreign-ministers-visit-damascus-to-meet-syrias-new-rulers |access-date=3 January 2025 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref>