Syrian Kurds postpone local elections amid US disapproval, Turkish threats

Amberin Zaman

Jun 6, 2024

Syrian Kurdish women walk past an election campaign banner in the northeastern Syrian city of Qamishli on June 6, 2024. — DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images

Authorities in the Kurdish-led Democratic Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (DAANES) announced on Thursday that they were putting off the first local elections that were to be held since the territorial defeat of the Islamic State amid Turkish threats of military action and US admonitions that they were ill timed.

The elections commission said the polls, originally scheduled for June 11, would be delayed until at least August. This is the second time the polls have been postponed.

The elections commission said the decision was made after four political parties petitioned the commission to put them off, saying they had not had sufficient time to campaign. Under the terms of the new quasi constitution, or “social contract,” that was adopted by the DAANES, candidates are allowed a minimum of 20 days to campaign following the announcement of an election date.

The local polls, which will cover seven administrative zones including several Arab majority areas, were announced on May 20 after the initial May 30 date was canceled.