Syrians are voting indirectly, and President Ahmed al-Shara is appointing a third of the lawmakers. Still, some see this as a step forward after decades of dictatorship.

DAMASCUS: Members of local committees in Syria began on Sunday selecting members of a transitional parliament, in a process criticized as undemocratic, with a third of the members…

A third of the members are appointed by interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has said it is impossible to hold direct elections now.