ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Syria's transitional parliament convened its inaugural session in Damascus on Sunday as members took the constitutional oath, with interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa saying the move marks a “new chapter” in the history of the war-torn country.
Addressing lawmakers during the inaugural session, Sharaa urged members to make the new legislature a pillar of institutional governance and national reconstruction after years of conflict, according to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
"Today, Syria is writing a new chapter in its history - one that reflects its civilization, values and heritage. Together, let us build the history of a modern Syria," SANA cited the president as saying.
In the session, lawmakers are expected to elect a speaker, two deputy speakers and a secretary. Until the leadership is chosen, the session is being chaired by the assembly's oldest member. The assembly is also required to adopt its bylaws within one month.
The legislature was finalized earlier this month when Sharaa appointed 70 members, filling the one-third of seats reserved for presidential appointments. The remaining lawmakers were selected through indirect elections held across much of the country, although the process has yet to take place in the Druze-majority province of Suwayda.
The new parliament will serve a 30-month term and is expected to review previous decrees, pass legislation and begin drafting a new constitution.
The assembly's composition has drawn criticism from some Kurdish politicians, who argue that Kurdish representation falls well below the community's share of Syria's population. Only a handful of Kurds are among the presidential appointees, while nine Kurdish lawmakers were elected from northeast Syria, known as Rojava.
Despite expressing concern over the limited Kurdish representation, senior Kurdish National Council (ENKS) official Sulaiman Oso previously said he hoped Kurdish lawmakers would effectively represent their constituents.
"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," Oso told Rudaw earlier this month.
Describing the assembly as part of a broader effort to rebuild the country, Sharaa said Syria had entered a new phase in its history.
"Syria is writing a glorious chapter of its history that reflects the heroism of its people. We now bear the responsibility of building both the nation and its citizens, and of placing responsibility above all else," he said.
He stressed that lawmakers shared responsibility for strengthening state institutions and serving the public interest. "We all share the responsibility of building our nation, and today's People's Assembly stands as a forum for truth and justice.”
