Syrian People's Assembly Holds Its First Session After the Fall of al-Assad, and al-Sharaa Calls for Consolidating the Culture of Dialogue and the Rule of Law

Image caption, Interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa delivers a speech during the first session of the People's Assembly since the fall of al-Assad, in the Syrian capital Damascus

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Sunday saw the first session of the transitional Syrian People's Assembly in the capital Damascus, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). The most prominent tasks of the assembly will include forming a committee to draft a new constitution for the country and laying the groundwork for democratic transition after decades of one-party rule.

The first session was held in the presence of Interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who called on lawmakers during his opening speech to make the assembly a model of responsibility and efficiency, and to contribute to consolidating the culture of dialogue, the rule of law, and respect for institutions, as he put it.

Al-Sharaa indicated that Syria is writing a new history that expresses its civilization, values, and heritage, calling on assembly members to participate in writing the history of the new Syria.

The Speaker of the People's Assembly, who will be elected today, is expected to invite the President of the Republic to attend the second session, in accordance with Article 40 of the interim electoral system.

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In the same context, BBC News Arabic correspondent Hibsar Othman reported that the Syrian capital Damascus is witnessing intensified security measures coinciding with the holding of the first session of the Syrian People's Assembly.

Inside the assembly, the first session began with the swearing-in of the 206 present members of the People's Assembly. The lawmakers will elect the members of the assembly's presidential bureau, with the eldest member presiding over its first session.

Today, members of the People's Assembly are scheduled to elect a speaker, a deputy speaker, and two secretaries by secret ballot, in accordance with Article 39 of the interim electoral system for the Syrian People's Assembly.

Members representing the Suwayda Governorate, which witnessed bloody acts of violence in July, have not yet been selected, but al-Sharaa has appointed two members from the governorate.

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Image caption, Members of the newly formed Syrian People's Assembly participate in a vote during the assembly's inaugural session, the first parliamentary session since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad

Syrians Pin Their Hopes on the New Assembly

Syrians expressed hopes that the new assembly would help resolve the daily economic and social issues facing Syrian citizens.

One Syrian citizen told the 'Middle East Diaries' program, broadcast on BBC Arabic Radio, that he hopes 'the assembly will be a true mirror of the entire people, solving outstanding issues, transitional justice matters, displacement files, and economic and unemployment issues.'

Another said, 'The most important issue that concerns us is the file of transitional justice. We hope the People's Assembly will have laws to fundamentally resolve issues related to transitional justice... We also place great hopes on all issues concerning the Syrian people, whether economic or political, and everything related to the citizen's livelihood and everything we demanded during the blessed revolution that erupted for the right and dignity of the people.'

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Image caption, BBC correspondent in the capital Damascus said there are intensive security measures coinciding with the first session of the Syrian People's Assembly

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Since arriving in Damascus in December 2024 after the overthrow of al-Assad's rule, al-Sharaa has taken a series of steps to manage the transitional period, including dissolving the People's Assembly, then signing a constitutional declaration that set the transitional period at five years and stipulated a mechanism for selecting the People's Assembly, composed of 210 members, which is to exercise its powers until a permanent constitution is drafted and elections are held on its basis.

The constitutional declaration issued by the transitional Syrian president last year set the term of the People's Assembly at thirty months, renewable.

Al-Sharaa appoints members of the remaining third of the transitional People's Assembly, which will hold its first session next Monday

The People's Assembly was formed based on a mechanism set by the constitutional declaration, which was approved after the new authorities came to power, and al-Sharaa was given the authority to select one-third of the members (70 members) and a major role in appointing the others.

Those chosen by al-Sharaa join the members who were selected by local electoral bodies under an interim mechanism that did not involve direct general suffrage, in a process that took place in October and sparked controversy and drew objections from major Syrian components.

At that time, areas under the control of Kurdish forces in the northeast of the country and the Druze-majority areas in the south were excluded from representation, amid tensions with the central authority in Damascus.

Human rights activists criticized al-Sharaa's role in forming the People's Assembly, which will undertake broad tasks including proposing and amending laws, ratifying international treaties, and approving the general budget.

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