Syria’s transitional parliament holds first session in Damascus
The new People’s Assembly took its oath more than 18 months after Bashar al-Assad was toppled, with a constitution among its main tasks.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
Syria’s newly formed transitional parliament met for the first time in Damascus on Sunday, opening a political process meant to shape the country after Bashar al-Assad’s overthrow. Al Jazeera reported that President Ahmed al-Sharaa urged lawmakers to put the national interest first as the chamber began work.
Members of the People’s Assembly took the constitutional oath more than 18 months after rebels led by al-Sharaa removed longtime ruler al-Assad from power, according to Al Jazeera. Al-Sharaa, now Syria’s president, addressed the session and called on the assembly to show responsibility, competence, respect for institutions and commitment to the rule of law.
The parliament’s central task will be to draft a new constitution and help set the basis for democratic government, Al Jazeera reported. The process follows decades of rule by the al-Assad family and a 14-year civil war that killed more than half a million people, according to the report.
New chamber takes shape
The People’s Assembly has 210 seats. Al Jazeera reported that two-thirds of its members were selected last year by regional electoral colleges, while al-Sharaa appointed the remaining 70 lawmakers at the start of this month.
Officials said nationwide elections could not be held because years of war had created logistical problems, including unreliable population records, according to Al Jazeera. The new chamber therefore begins its work as a transitional body rather than one chosen through a national vote.
Al-Sharaa, 43, has promised a new period for Syria, Al Jazeera reported. The country remains under severe economic strain after years of conflict and international isolation, while political and sectarian tensions have also affected the period since al-Assad’s removal.
In his address, al-Sharaa identified the economy, public services and foreign investment as major priorities for the assembly, according to Al Jazeera. He said Syria faced the task of rebuilding both the state and society after years of upheaval.
UN envoy calls session a milestone
Claudio Cordone, the deputy United Nations special envoy for Syria, described the first sitting as “a key milestone in the country’s political transition,” Al Jazeera reported. Cordone said the international community would watch the assembly’s work closely and was ready to support it.
The session marked one of the most visible institutional steps taken since al-Assad’s fall. Al Jazeera reported that the assembly is expected to play a major role in defining Syria’s next political framework, beginning with the drafting of a constitution.
The meeting also underscored the scale of the transition facing al-Sharaa’s government. According to Al Jazeera, Syria is trying to rebuild state institutions while addressing economic weakness, damaged services and the political strains left by years of war.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.