Syria's 210-Member Parliament Holds First Session After Assad Ouster, With 70 Picked by Sharaa
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 1
Syria's 210-Member Parliament Holds First Session After Assad Ouster, With 70 Picked by Sharaa
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 1
Summary
Monday’s first sitting will swear in Syria’s new 210-member parliament and elect its presidential council, marking the first legislature to convene since Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December 2024.
Seventy lawmakers were appointed directly by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose selections included 15 women and lifted total female representation in the chamber to 22.
The appointments also broadened minority representation, adding more Kurdish members from Hasakah alongside Alawite lawmakers and two legislators from the Druze-majority province of Suwayda.
The parliament will serve a 30-month term focused on drafting laws and preparing a new elections law, part of Syria’s effort to rebuild after a 13-year civil war that killed about 500,000 people.
Is Syria's new parliament a path to democracy or a blueprint for a new, internationally-backed dictatorship?
Can a former militant commander deliver an inclusive democracy, or is Syria's transition doomed to repeat its past?
Inaugurating Syria’s Transitional Parliament: Representation, Exclusion, and Geopolitical Turmoil After Assad
Overview
In July 2026, Syria inaugurated its first transitional parliament, marking a major step after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. This new 210-member body was formed through a multi-phased electoral process, reflecting ongoing efforts to rebuild the nation and move away from decades of authoritarian rule and civil conflict. The initial elections in October 2025 excluded regions like Suwayda and northeast Syria due to security concerns, but later votes and presidential appointments aimed to improve representation. Despite these efforts, challenges remain in ensuring true inclusivity and stability as Syria transitions to a new political era.