Direct link to article... [littlegreenfootballs.com]
Syria's parliament on Thursday approved a new election law which for the first time in decades allows multiple candidates to run for president, just months before the war-torn nation heads to the polls.However the new law prevents exiled opposition leaders from running against President Bashar al-Assad, as it stipulates candidates must have lived in Syria for 10 consecutive years.
Damascus has not officially announced a presidential election but Assad is expected to seek a new seven-year term in the middle of this year despite a raging conflict that has killed more than 140,000 people and displaced millions in three years.
More: Syrian Lawmakers Approve New Election Law