First Syrian parliament since al-Assad’s ousting begins legislative duties

The new 210-member parliament takes shape, marking a historic shift after decades of Assad family rule.

Mohammad Taha al-Ahmad (L), head of the higher electoral committee, speaks during a press conference announcing newly appointed lawmakers at the parliament in Damascus on July 1, 2026. — Mohammad Taha al-Ahmad, seated left, head of the higher electoral committee, speaks during a news conference announcing newly appointed lawmakers at the parliament in Damascus on Wednesday [AFP]

By AFP and The Associated Press

The first parliament in Syria’s post-Assad era has taken shape with the release of a list of 70 legislators picked by President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

The inauguration of the new parliament on Wednesday shows the country is moving ahead with drafting laws as the nation works on recovering from decades of iron-fist rule under longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted in December 2024 after more than 13 years of civil war, which killed about half a million people.

Recommended Stories

list 1 of 4Syria puts first Assad-era official on trial in Damascus
list 2 of 4Syria sees first government reshuffle since al-Assad’s ouster
list 3 of 4Dutch court sentences Syrian to 26 years for torturing for al-Assad
list 4 of 4New Israeli assault in southern Syria forces families to flee their homes

The head of Syria’s electoral committee, Mohammed Taha al-Ahmad, told reporters that the new 210-member legislature will hold its first meeting on Monday, when the new members will be sworn in, and the parliament’s presidential council will be elected.

Interim President al-Sharaa directly appoints one third of the 210 seats. His list of 70 legislators includes 15 women, raising the number of female members in the legislature to 22.

Portraits of former speakers of parliament, including former Egyptian president Anwar Sadat (4th R), who served as Chairman of the Council of Nation under the United Arab Republic (UAR) era, are displayed at the parliament in Damascus on July 1, 2026. — Portraits of the former speakers of Syrian parliament, including former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat (fourth from right), who served as chair of the Council of Nations under the United Arab Republic era, are displayed at the parliament in Damascus [AFP]

Syria held the first phase of its parliamentary elections in October last year while excluding the southern province of Suwayda, a predominantly Druze governorate and where no date has been set yet for a vote due to security concerns.

The October vote also excluded northeast Syria, which was under Kurdish control. A vote in that region was held in May after government forces took control of the area during deadly clashes earlier this year.

The new parliament also includes representatives of the Alawite community and two legislators from Suwayda.

“Initially, there was a very small portion of the elected members that were from some of the minority groups, such as the Kurdish community,” said Al Jazeera’s Obaida Hitto, reporting from the capital Damascus.

“The appointees by the president remedied that by adding several more Kurdish members from the Hasakah governorate,” Hitto added.

The new parliament will have a 30-month term and work on a new elections law while preparing the ground for a popular vote in the next elections, according to al-Ahmad, as a test for the country’s transition.