Syria postpones 1st session of newly formed parliament

Syria’s Higher Committee for People’s Assembly Elections on Sunday postponed the first session of the newly formed parliament to a later date, without giving further details.

The opening session had been scheduled for Monday, July 6, at the parliament headquarters in Damascus.

The delay comes days after the completion of the formation of the new People’s Assembly following a presidential decree issued Wednesday by Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa naming the final list of members.

The new parliament consists of 210 members, with 140 elected through provincial electoral bodies and 70 appointed directly by the president under a temporary electoral framework.

The first session was expected to include the constitutional oath by members and the election of the parliament’s leadership, paving the way for the launch of the new legislative body.

The formation of the new parliament marks one of the major institutional steps taken by Syria’s new leadership after the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime.

On Dec. 8, 2024, Syrian opposition forces entered Damascus, ending the rule of Assad, who governed the country from 2000 to 2024 after succeeding his father, Hafez al-Assad, who ruled from 1971 to 2000.