Syria's interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has appointed the final 70 members of the country's new 210-seat parliament, clearing the path for its first session to convene next week. The appointments aim to rectify disparities in representation that emerged from earlier regional electoral college selections.
Among the 70 newly appointed lawmakers are 15 women and 13 individuals who were previously imprisoned during the rule of Bashar al-Assad, who was overthrown in 2024. The precise number of appointees from religious and ethnic minorities was not immediately clear.
In October, regional electoral colleges had selected two-thirds of the People's Assembly's seats. However, these selections resulted in only six women and 10 minority candidates securing positions. Following this, officials indicated that President al-Sharaa would utilize his appointment powers to address these underrepresentations.
Mohammed Taha al-Ahmed, chairman of the Higher Committee for the Syrian People's Assembly Elections, stated that the president's selections were designed to incorporate "the voice of sacrifice and the voice of experience" into the People's Assembly. He added that these appointees represent diverse segments of Syrian society and are intended to bolster national unity. The group includes individuals with ties to "martyrs and survivors of detention and chemical attacks" from the 13-year civil war, alongside academics, experts, professionals, community leaders, and national figures recognized for their public service.
The appointments are intended to ensure representation from all 14 provinces, including two from Suweida, a province with a predominantly Druze population. Elections in Suweida have been delayed due to ongoing instability following sectarian fighting in July that resulted in approximately 1,700 fatalities. Elections will be held in Suweida when conditions are deemed suitable.
Elections in parts of the northern provinces of Raqqa and Hassakeh were also delayed by seven months. These areas were captured by government forces from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) earlier this year. More than 20 Kurdish parties have criticized the selection process, describing it as "an approach of exclusion and marginalisation."
In the previous year, 14 Syrian civil society groups raised concerns about the electoral system, citing "deep structural flaws." They argued that the president's influence over the Higher Committee and electoral colleges rendered the elections symbolic and expressed apprehension that his power to appoint one-third of parliament members would allow him to dominate the institution.
Claudio Cordone, the UN deputy special envoy, recently informed the Security Council that Syria's transition is in a "critical phase, with opportunity and fragility existing side-by-side." He emphasized the need for the People's Assembly to begin its work and for all Syrians, particularly women and minority groups, to feel meaningfully represented. Cordone highlighted the substantial challenges facing the transitional parliament, including the need to debate and adopt new laws, review executive actions, and ensure diverse voices are heard.
Progress has been reported on the implementation of a ceasefire agreement between the government and the SDF, with some SDF brigades integrated into government forces and SDF-affiliated detainees released. However, Cordone noted a lack of advancement on confidence-building and reintegration measures in Suweida, where underlying issues contributing to past sectarian violence remain unresolved. Calls for secession in Suweida were also mentioned as a potential threat to Syria's unity and territorial integrity.