Kongra Star Statement on the Syrian Elections

The experience of the past years in Syria has proven that the absence of women and the exclusion of peoples from political decision-making is the fundamental cause of the continuation of tyranny and the fragmentation of society. Therefore, any attempt to reproduce the same unilateral, patriarchal mentality—whether through so-called elections or otherwise—will only deepen the crisis.

In North and East Syria, women—through their resistance against terrorism and their role in building the model of Autonomous Administration—have demonstrated that true democracy begins with the full participation of women, and that the stability and prosperity of societies are intrinsically tied to the liberation of women and their free will.

On this basis, we affirm that no political or electoral process in Syria can gain legitimacy unless it reflects the will of free women and free peoples, and guarantees the rights of all components and political forces that form the real fabric of Syrian society. Women, who have always been the driving force of resistance against tyranny and terrorism, have today become the fundamental criterion of legitimacy in any democratic project. Likewise, the participation of all components and the guarantee of their national, cultural, and political rights is an indispensable condition for achieving any just and sustainable solution.

What is being called the “People’s Assembly elections,” with the exclusion of Hasakah, Raqqa, and Sweida, does not represent the will of Syrian men and women; rather, it reflects the continuation of the same approach that has confiscated the freedom of the people for more than fifty years. Labeling these areas as “unsafe” is nothing more than an exposed pretext to exclude millions from the political process—foremost among them the women who have led a unique experience in self-administration and proven that true democracy begins with the full participation of women, alongside the recognition of the rights of peoples and communities to manage their own affairs and destiny.

As for the allocation of a 20% quota for women, it entrenches a patriarchal, authoritarian mentality that treats women as mere political decoration. At Kongra Star, we affirm that this quota is not only an injustice to women but also a blatant stripping of legitimacy from these elections. Any political process that excludes or marginalizes half of society cannot be democratic and carries no legitimacy. Today, the measure of legitimacy is women’s participation at no less than full partnership (50%), and the fair representation of components and political forces on the basis of equality and mutual recognition. Any project that ignores this truth is doomed to fail.

Kongra Star, based on the philosophy of “Jin, jiyan, azadî” (Women, Life, Freedom) rejects these superficial elections and considers them a step toward reproducing tyranny. We will not be part of these exclusionary policies, nor will we recognize any outcomes that result from them.

We call upon women in Syria, across the region, and throughout the world—together with all democratic forces—to escalate the struggle against these practices that aim to silence women’s voices and crush the will of the peoples. We also call for earnest work toward a comprehensive political solution that places women at its center, and guarantees the rights of women, all components, and all political forces, as the foundational power for peace and democracy.

Syria will only be rebuilt on the basis of women’s freedom, the participation of peoples, and the justice of shared life.

Jin, Jiyan, Azadî
Kongra Star
August 25, 2025