[6] The date of polls was announced on the day when Syrian pro-government forces launched a fresh assault on rebel strongholds in the country’s northwest.

[7] The 7 May election was the first to follow the constitution's new outline for political plurality, revoking a clause put in place by Assad's father, Hafez al-Assad, who ruled for nearly 30 years until his death in 2000.

[8] In July 2011, the Syrian cabinet endorsed the general elections bill as part of the government's reform program to end months of unrest.

[9] The Financial Times claimed that "the rapid emergence of so many willing prospective MPs from a repressive dictatorship with no history of political activism is just one of many clumsy signs that the vote is orchestrated by the regime to entrench its power".

The largest opposition group participating in the election was the Popular Front for Change and Liberation, which had 45 candidates, including six in Damascus Governorate, headed by their leader, Qadri Jamil.

[15][16][17] Louay Hussein, who was jailed for seven years under Hafez al-Assad, Mr Assad’s father and predecessor, said he would boycott the election claiming the government was using the poll as a way to preempt and avoid "possible future negotiations with the opposition forces".

[10] On 3 May 2012, Assistant Interior Minister for Civil Affairs Brigadier General Hassan Jalali said that the Ministry had completed all preparations for the elections.

[19] Polls opened at 7:00 as Syrian state television showed voters lining up and dropping white ballots in large, plastic boxes.