New elections could take up to four years, Syria rebel leader says

Sharaa says it could take three years to write a constitution and longer to establish voting integrity.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersNew elections could take up to four years, Syria rebel leader saysReutersHe said he did not see himself as a "Syrian liberator", adding that the people had saved themselvesHolding new elections in Syria could take up to four years, rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has said in a broadcast interview.

This is the first time he has given a timeline for possible elections in Syria since his group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) led a rebel offensive that ousted former President Bashar al-Assad.

In the interview with Saudi state broadcaster Al Arabiya on Sunday, he said drafting a new constitution could take up to three years.

He said it could also be a year before Syrians begin to see significant change and improvements to public services following the overthrow of the Assad regime.

Sharaa said Syria needed to rebuild its legal system and would have to hold a comprehensive population census to run legitimate elections.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g29e1lejvo

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