Second Syria government postponed election due to COVID-19 epidemic

Website AlKhaleej Today (Gulf) said: On 7/5, the 2nd Syrian Government announced the postponement of the National Assembly election in an effort to prevent COVID-19.

Sharing on social networks, the President's Office announced that it would delay the election until July 19 instead of May 20 as previously planned. This is "part of the preventive measures" of SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.

Previously, the election is scheduled to take place on April 13. However, the plan could not be implemented because the Syrian government since March has started to apply blockade measures, curfew at night as well as restricting people from traveling.

On 4/5, Syrian President Bashar Al Assad warned that it would be "catastrophic" if not handled well with the easing of social separation measures in this war-torn country.

Syria has now recorded 47 cases of COVID-19, including 4 deaths. Last week, the capital, Damascus, gradually lifted restrictions, allowing businesses and markets to reopen during the day.

If held, this would be the third parliamentary election since the conflict broke out in Syria in 2011, killing at least 384,000 people.