ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Syria's electoral body on Wednesday announced the names of 70 people appointed by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa to parliament, ahead of the transitional legislature's first session next week. Only few Kurds are on the list, including two allies of Sharaa, according to a politician.
Mohammad Taha al-Ahmed, head of the Higher Committee for People's Assembly Elections, announced the names at a press conference in Damascus. The appointees make up one-third of the 210-member body.
The remaining lawmakers were chosen in indirect elections that allowed only a small part of the population to vote. Voting took place in Kurdish-held areas earlier this year, after Kurdish authorities reached an integration agreement with Damascus. The process has yet to be held in the Druze-majority province of Suwayda, which remains largely under the control of Druze fighters.
Among the three Kurds on Sharaa's list is Abdulhakim Bashar, a senior member of the Kurdish National Council (ENKS). The other two — Mustafa Abdulrahman Abdi and Yasir Sulaiman Mansour — are close allies of Sharaa. Mansour is the brother of Ahmad Hilal, deputy governor of Hasaka and Sharaa's representative for integrating the Kurdish region into the state.
Abdi and Mansour are from the Mhallami tribe, whose Kurdish identity is disputed.
Nine Kurds were elected in the vote held in northeast Syria, known as Rojava.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) did not officially take part in the May vote but reportedly backed some independent candidates. Sharaa's list does not include any SDF-affiliated figures.
Kurdish officials have criticized the elections as unfair, saying Kurdish representation should be higher. Sulaiman Oso, a senior ENKS member, told Rudaw English on Wednesday that Kurds make up nearly 15 percent of Syria's population but account for only around 5 percent of the incoming parliament.
Despite his concerns over the low number of Kurdish lawmakers, Oso said he hoped they would succeed.
"We wish them success and I hope that they are the voices of our people in the Syria parliament and obtain Kurdish rights in the new constitution and work to make Kurdish the official language in Kurdish areas," he said.
According to Oso, the ENKS has three members in the transitional legislature, including Fasla Yousef and Ridwan Sido. He said Abdi and Mansour are considered Kurds.
The parliament will hold its first session on Monday, when the appointed members are expected to be sworn in and begin their work, including drafting a new constitution.
The head of Syria's electoral commission told reporters Wednesday that the new legislature will focus on reviewing previous decrees, passing laws and drafting a new constitution, state news agency SANA reported.
Ahmed also said the new parliament's term will run 30 months, and is renewable.
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