Rojava ruling party’s list sweeps local council elections

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The electoral list of the ruling party has swept local council elections in Rojava, Syrian Kurdistan. 

The Democratic Nation Solidarity List, which includes the ruling Democratic Union Party (PYD), won large majorities of seats in all three regions that went to the polls on December 1. 

The Supreme Election Board announced the results on Tuesday. 

In eastern-most Cizre canton, the list won 93.6 percent of the vote with 2,718 candidates elected.  The Syrian Kurdish National Coalition List won 40 seats and 144 independent candidates were elected. 

In the central Euphrates region, the Democratic Nation Solidarity List won 88.7 percent of the vote with 847 candidates elected to local councils. The Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party won 40 spots and independents took 67. 

In western Afrin canton, the Democratic Nation Solidarity List garnered 89.8 percent of the seats with 1,056 candidates elected. The Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party had 72 candidates elected, the Syrian National Alliance List had 8, and 40 independents were elected. 

Turnout was 69 percent.

Parties have three days to submit complaints over the results to the election board. 
 
This was the second of three stages of elections in the self-autonomous Democratic Federal System of Northern Syria. Local commune elections were held in September. Voters will go to the polls again in 2018 to elect candidates for the body that will act like the region’s parliament. 

The main opposition, the Kurdistan National Council (ENKS), boycotted the elections. 

The Syrian regime does not recognize the Kurdish enclave or the elections.