US repeats opposition to Rojava election
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United States on Friday reiterated its opposition to elections in northeast Syria (Rojava), citing lack of conditions for a free and fair vote.
“The United States assesses that the necessary conditions for convening free, fair, transparent, and inclusive elections in Syria, including in the North and East, have not been met,” state department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.
Rojava’s municipal elections were initially set for June 11. They were delayed to August after Turkey expressed its opposition and threatened to carry out a military offensive against the Kurdish enclave if they did not postpone the vote.
The ruling authority in Rojava, the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), said in June that the postponement was a response to demands from political parties participating in the vote and “to implement the polls in a democratic manner.”
On September 5, the DAANES directed its electoral commission to start making preparations for the delayed elections and set a date.
Washington first expressed its opposition to the elections in late March and Miller on Friday said the US “does not support the recent announcement by the… DAANES calling on the High Elections Committee to begin preparations for municipal elections.”
Several sources told Rudaw English on the condition of anonymity last month that Rojava authorities were considering delaying the elections indefinitely.
According to the municipal elections law, political parties should be given 20 days to campaign ahead of the vote.
The People’s and Women’s Alliance for Freedom, which includes the ruling Democratic Union Party (PYD), the Together for Better Services alliance, and four other political parties are vying for municipal seats.
PYD is the political arm of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) - the backbone of the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The Kurdish National Council (ENKS/KNC), an umbrella group of the main opposition parties in Rojava, are boycotting the elections. The ENKS, which is a member of the Turkey-backed Syrian opposition, does not recognize the Kurdish administration.
“The United States assesses that the necessary conditions for convening free, fair, transparent, and inclusive elections in Syria, including in the North and East, have not been met,” state department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.
Rojava’s municipal elections were initially set for June 11. They were delayed to August after Turkey expressed its opposition and threatened to carry out a military offensive against the Kurdish enclave if they did not postpone the vote.
The ruling authority in Rojava, the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), said in June that the postponement was a response to demands from political parties participating in the vote and “to implement the polls in a democratic manner.”
On September 5, the DAANES directed its electoral commission to start making preparations for the delayed elections and set a date.
Washington first expressed its opposition to the elections in late March and Miller on Friday said the US “does not support the recent announcement by the… DAANES calling on the High Elections Committee to begin preparations for municipal elections.”
Several sources told Rudaw English on the condition of anonymity last month that Rojava authorities were considering delaying the elections indefinitely.
According to the municipal elections law, political parties should be given 20 days to campaign ahead of the vote.
The People’s and Women’s Alliance for Freedom, which includes the ruling Democratic Union Party (PYD), the Together for Better Services alliance, and four other political parties are vying for municipal seats.
PYD is the political arm of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) - the backbone of the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The Kurdish National Council (ENKS/KNC), an umbrella group of the main opposition parties in Rojava, are boycotting the elections. The ENKS, which is a member of the Turkey-backed Syrian opposition, does not recognize the Kurdish administration.