SANA: Syria to Hold By-Election for Five Parliament Seats

Syria will hold by-elections on December 1 to fill five seats in parliament, two of which became vacant when sitting MPs defected to the opposition, state news agency SANA said.

"President Bashar Assad has passed a decree calling for the organization of parliamentary elections for December 1 to fill five empty seats," SANA said.

Up for grabs are two seats for the province of Aleppo, one for Hama, another for Idlib and a fifth for Hasakeh, SANA said.

MPs Ikhlas Badawi and Hassan al-Bish defected and fled Syria to neighboring Turkey.

A third, Sattam Jadan al-Dandah, was appointed ambassador to Iraq this month, after his predecessor also defected.

The others are Ghassan Qanatri and Nizar Moussa, respectively appointed governors of Deir Ezzor and Tartus provinces.

The last general election was held on May 7, with the the majority of the 250 going to the ruling Baath party, in power for almost 50 years.