DAMASCUS — The Syrian People’s Assembly convened for its inaugural session on Sunday in Damascus, marking the first parliamentary gathering since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Members of the 210-seat parliament took a constitutional oath during the session, which followed the formation of a new government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Abdul Hamid al-Awak was elected as the speaker of the parliament, securing 99 votes in a contest against Moayad Hayel al-Qablawi and Mohammad Ramez Koraj. Al-Awak, a native of northeastern Hassakeh province, previously served as a judge in the Justice Ministry for a decade. Born in 1966, he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of Aleppo in 1990.

President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who assumed office on January 29, 2025, after leading the rebel forces that toppled Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, addressed the assembly during the session. “I urge you to make this assembly a model of responsibility and competence, and to help foster a culture of dialogue, the rule of law and respect for institutions,” al-Sharaa said. He added, “Syria is writing a glorious history that reflects its heroism, and we face the responsibility of building both the nation and the individual.” In a third statement, he declared, “After liberating our homeland and regaining our freedom, we are all moving toward consolidating the state.”

The new parliament, which will serve a 30-month term, was formed through a combination of regional elections and presidential appointments. One hundred forty members were chosen by regional electoral colleges in early 2025, while al-Sharaa appointed the remaining 70 members at the beginning of July 2026. Among those appointees were Rozina Lazkani and Laith al-Balous, a pro-government Druze figure. However, the Sweida area did not participate in the parliamentary selection process.

The assembly’s primary mandate is to draft a new constitution for Syria, a country emerging from a 14-year civil war that killed more than half a million people. The body includes diverse representation, such as Fasla Yousef, a senior member of the Kurdish National Council (ENKS), who represents Hasakah.

Why It Matters

The inaugural session represents a critical step in Syria’s political transition following the collapse of Assad’s 24-year rule, which ended in December 2024. Under the Constitutional Declaration, al-Sharaa is mandated to serve as president for a five-year transitional period, during which the new parliament is tasked with laying the legal and institutional foundations for a postwar state.

Claudio Cordone, deputy United Nations special envoy for Syria, called the session “a key milestone in the country’s political transition.” He added, “The international community will follow its work closely and stand ready to support it.”