The first Rojava regional elections were held on 1 December 2017. Local councils for the

Jazira Region The Jazira Region, formerly Jazira Canton, ( ku, Herêma Cizîrê, ar, إقليم الجزيرة, syr, ܦܢܝܬܐ ܕܓܙܪܬܐ, Ponyotho d'Gozarto), is the largest of the three original regions of the de facto Autonomous Administration of Nor ...

, Euphrates Region and

Afrin Region Afrin Region ( ku, Herêma Efrînê, ar, إقليم عفرين, syc, ܦܢܝܬܐ ܕܥܦܪܝܢ, translit=Ponyotho d'Afrin) is the westernmost of the three original regions of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. The region pr ...

were elected as well as for the subordinate cantons, areas and districts of the

regions of Rojava The de facto Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, sometimes referred to as "Rojava", is divided into several self-governing regions. The Afrin, Jazira and Euphrates Regions followed from the cantons established in January 2014 and ...

. This followed the communal elections that were held on 22 September and will be followed by a federal parliamentary election of the

Syrian Democratic Council The Syrian Democratic Council ( ku, Meclîsa Sûriya Demokratîk, MSD; ar, مجلس سوريا الديمقراطية; syc, ܡܘܬܒܐ ܕܣܘܪܝܐ ܕܝܡܩܪܛܝܬܐ, translit=Mawtbo d'Suriya Demoqraṭoyto) is the political wing of the Syri ...

, the region's highest governing body, initially scheduled for January 2018, but was later postponed.

Preparations

The election was chiefly organized by the High Electoral Commission ( ar, المفوضية العليا للانتخابات; ku, Komseriya Bilind Ya Hilbijartinan; syc, ܦܩܝܕܳܝܘܬ݂ܐ ܥܠܝܬܐ ܕܓܘܒܳܝ̈ܐ) of the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria. Over 30 parties and entities with more than 5600 candidates competed for posts in the local councils of the three regions of the

DFNS A direct function (dfn, pronounced "dee fun") is an alternative way to define a function and operator (a higher-order function) in the programming language APL. A direct operator can also be called a dop (pronounced "dee op"). They were invented ...

as well as for the region's subordinate cantons, areas and districts. There were 3048 candidates in the

(with 102 rejected by the Electoral Commission), 1170 candidates in the Euphrates Region (with four candidates rejected) and 1502 candidates in the

(with 48 candidates rejected).http://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/25112017 The

Kurdish National Council The Kurdish National Council (KNC, , ENKS; ar, المجلس الوطني الكوردي ''al-Majlis al-Waṭaniyy Al-Kurdi'') is a Syrian Kurdish political party. While the KNC had initially more international support than the ruling Democra ...

(KNC) boycotted the elections. DFNS co-president Hediya Yousef called the boycott "irresponsible". The

Kurdistan Regional Government The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) ( ku, حکوومەتی هەرێمی کوردستان, ''Hikûmetî Herêmî Kurdistan'') is the official executive body of the autonomous Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq. The cabinet is selected by the m ...

(KRG) sent 13 observers for the elections, among them Kurdistan Democratic Party politicians. This was seen by observers as an indication of an improvement of the previously poor relations between the DFNS and the KRG.

Parties and electoral lists

There were two main electoral lists competing in the election, the Democratic Nation List ( ar, قائمة الأمة الديمقراطية; ku, Lîsta Netewa Demokratîk; syc, ܩܝܡܬܐ ܕܐܘܡܬܐ ܕܝܡܩܪܛܝܬܐ), which consists of 18 parties, and the

Kurdish National Alliance in Syria The Kurdish National Alliance in Syria ( ku, Hevbendiya Niştimanî a Kurdî li Sûriyê, HNKS; ar, التحالف الوطني الكردي في سوريا, at-Taḥāluf al-Waṭanī al-Kurdi fi Sūriyā) is a Syrian Kurdish coalition formed by ...

( ar, التحالف الوطني الكردي في سوريا; ku, Hevbendiya Niştimanî a Kurdî li Sûriyê), which consists of four. In addition to these two electoral alliances, the Syrian National Democratic Alliance also ran. There was also a separate list of independent candidates. The Democratic Nation List includes the Democratic Union Party (PYD),

Modernity and Democracy Party of Syria Modernity, a topic in the humanities and social sciences, is both a historical period (the modern era) and the ensemble of particular socio-cultural norms, attitudes and practices that arose in the wake of the Renaissancein the "Age of Reason ...

(PNDS), Arab National Coalition, Kurdistan Democratic Party – Syria, Green Party of Kurdistan (Al-Khader Kurdistan Party),

Liberal Union of Kurdistan Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

, Syriac Union Party,

Kurdish Left Party in Syria Kurdish may refer to: *Kurds or Kurdish people *Kurdish languages *Kurdish alphabets *Kurdistan, the land of the Kurdish people which includes: **Southern Kurdistan **Eastern Kurdistan **Northern Kurdistan **Western Kurdistan See also * Kurd (dis ...

(PCKS),

Kurdistan Democratic Change Party Kurdistan ( ku, کوردستان ,Kurdistan ; lit. "land of the Kurds") or Greater Kurdistan is a roughly defined geo-cultural territory in Western Asia wherein the Kurds form a prominent majority population and the Kurdish culture, languages, ...

(PGDK),

Kurdistan Renewal Movement Kurdistan ( ku, کوردستان ,Kurdistan ; lit. "land of the Kurds") or Greater Kurdistan is a roughly defined geo-cultural territory in Western Asia wherein the Kurds form a prominent majority population and the Kurdish culture, languages, ...

Syrian Kurdish Democratic Party Syrians ( ar, سُورِيُّون, ''Sūriyyīn'') are an Eastern Mediterranean ethnic group indigenous to the Levant. They share common Levantine Semitic roots. The cultural and linguistic heritage of the Syrian people is a blend of both indi ...

Democratic Peace Party of Kurdistan Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

(PADK), Assyrian Democratic Party,

National Rally of Kurdistan Party National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

(PKNK),

Free Patriotic Union of Syria Free may refer to: Concept * Freedom, having the ability to do something, without having to obey anyone/anything * Freethought, a position that beliefs should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism * Emancipate, to procure ...

(PYNAS),

Democratic Conservative Party The Democratic Conservative Party ( Spanish: ''Partido Conservador Demócrata'', PCD) is a Nicaraguan political party with a traditional conservative ideology. The party was formed in 1979. Clemente Guido participated as PCD's presidential candida ...

, Sun Party of Kurdistan (Roj Kurdish Party), and the Kurdish Brotherhood Party. The Kurdish National Alliance in Syria includes the Kurdish Democratic Unity Party in Syria (Democratic Yekîtî - PYDKS),

Kurdish Democratic Left Party in Syria Kurdish may refer to: *Kurds or Kurdish people *Kurdish languages *Kurdish alphabets *Kurdistan, the land of the Kurdish people which includes: **Southern Kurdistan **Eastern Kurdistan **Northern Kurdistan **Western Kurdistan See also * Kurd (dis ...

(PCDKS), Kurdish Democratic Party in Syria (al-Party - PKDS) and the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Accord (Rêkeftin - al-Wefaq Party). The Syrian Reform Movement (TCKS) was originally a fifth member of the alliance that split from the

party of the same name.

Results

The turnout was reported to be 69% of eligible voters. Jazira Region (A total of 2,902 seats) * Democratic Nation List: 93,66%, 2,718 seats ''(out of 2,902 candidates running)''. * Kurdish National Alliance in Syria: 1,38%, 40 seats ''(out of 99 candidates running)''. * Independents: 4,96%, 144 seats ''(out of 267 candidates running)''. Euphrates Region (A total of 954 seats) * Democratic Nation List: 88,78%, 847 seats ''(out of 954 candidates running)''. * Kurdish Democratic Unity Party in Syria (Democratic Yekîtî - PYDKS): 4,19%, 40 seats ''(out of 124 candidates running)''. * Independents: 7,02%, 67 seats ''(out of 95 candidates running)''. Afrin Region (A total of 1,176 seats) * Democratic Nation List: 89,80%, 1,056 seats ''(out of 1,175 candidates running)''. * Kurdish Democratic Unity Party in Syria (Democratic Yekîtî - PYDKS): 6,12%, 72 seats ''(out of 197 candidates running)''. * Syrian National Democratic Alliance: 0,68%, 8 seats ''(out of 48 candidates running)''. * Independents: 3,40%, 40 seats ''(out of 86 candidates running)''.

Reactions

National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces The National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces ( ar, الائتلاف الوطني لقوى الثورة والمعارضة السورية), commonly named the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) ( ar, الائتلاف الو ...

- Fawwaz al-Mufflih, an official of the Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces' Hasakah branch, called the elections a "farce" that "will vanish after the regime falls." He also claimed that most Arabs in Rojava opposed the elections.

References

{{Syrian Civil War Elections in Syria 2017 in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria Politics of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria