Members of local committees in Syria began on Sunday selecting members of a transitional parliament.
An AFP correspondent witnessed dozens of members of the local committees queueing at Syria's National Library, formerly called the Assad National Library, to cast their vote.
According to the organizing committee, more than 1,500 candidates -- 14 percent of which are women -- are running for the assembly, which will have a renewable 30-month mandate.
Interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa is to appoint 70 representatives out of the 210-member body.
The other two-thirds will be selected by local committees appointed by the electoral commission.
But southern Syria's Druze-majority Sweida province, which suffered sectarian bloodshed in July, and the country's Kurdish-held northeast are excluded from the process for now as they are outside Damascus's control, and their 32 seats will remain empty.
"I support the authorities and I'm ready to defend them, but these aren't real elections," said Louay al-Arfi, 77, a retired civil servant sitting with friends at a Damascus cafe.
"It's a necessity in the transitional phase, but we want direct elections" to follow, he told AFP.
Under a temporary constitution announced in March, the incoming parliament will exercise legislative functions until a permanent constitution is adopted and new elections are held.
Sharaa has said it would be impossible to organize direct elections now, noting the large number of Syrians who lack documentation after millions fled abroad or were displaced internally during the civil war.
Speaking from the library on Sunday, Sharaa appeared to acknowledge criticism of the process, saying that while "it is true that the electoral process is incomplete... it is a moderate process that is appropriate for the current situation and circumstances in Syria".
Around 6,000 people are taking part in Sunday's selection process.
Preliminary results are expected to emerge after it ends, with state television reporting that some centres started counting the votes.
The final list of names is due to be announced on Monday.
Under the rules, candidates must not be "supporters of the former regime" and must not promote secession or partition.
