Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has appointed actress Rozina Lazkani as one of his 70 appointees to the 210-seat People's Assembly, the country's transitional parliament. Lazkani, 36, gained recognition for her role in the drama series "Al-Hayba," which is available on Netflix.
Lazkani stated on Instagram that she was honored by the president's confidence and promised to approach her new responsibilities with seriousness and dedication to serving the Syrian people. "I promise all who tend to have a good faith that I will take up the task with the highest levels of seriousness and responsibility in the service of my countrymen, hoping that we will build a new Syria as befits it," she wrote.
The actress, who made her television debut in 2014, does not have prior government experience. She maintains a significant presence on Instagram, where she shares content related to Syrian politics alongside personal posts.
President al-Sharaa's appointments aim to create a parliament with diverse representation from across Syria, incorporating a mix of expertise and professional experience, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). Among al-Sharaa's appointees are Aisha al-Dibs, head of the Women’s Affairs Office, relatives of civil war victims, former prisoners, and survivors of chemical attacks.
Of the 70 presidential appointees, 15 are women, increasing the total number of women in the People's Assembly to 21. This represents an increase from the previous selection process, where only six women were chosen by the electoral college. However, Syrian rights organizations have indicated that the current composition may not fully meet the representation needs for women and minority groups within the country.