Dubai: Syria’s newly formed People’s Assembly gathered for its inaugural session on Sunday, with lawmakers listening in silence as President Ahmad Al Sharaa delivered his opening speech, without the clapping or applause that routinely accompanied former President Bashar Al Assad’s speeches.
The silent session highlighted the changing tone in Syria’s post-Assad political landscape, as Al Sharaa described the new parliament as part of an effort to strengthen state institutions during the country’s five-year political transition.
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“Today, Syria is writing a new chapter in its history, a chapter that reflects its civilization, values and heritage,” Al Sharaa said, calling on lawmakers to make the legislature “a model of responsibility and competence” based on dialogue, the rule of law and respect for state institutions.
No applause or cheers as Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa delivers the inaugural address to the Syrian People’s Assembly – a clear departure from the thunderous ovation Assad would enjoy there.
The body by design has no real power to hold the president/executive accountable, it has… pic.twitter.com/7FDXh1wEtM
— Timour Azhari (@timourazhari) July 12, 2026
The President administered the constitutional oath to lawmakers before they elected lawyer Abdul Hamid Al Awak as Speaker of Parliament.
Al Awak previously headed the committee appointed by Al Sharaa to draft Syria’s constitutional declaration, which forms the legal framework for the country’s transitional period.
The assembly consists of 210 members, with 140 elected through provincial electoral bodies under Syria’s provisional electoral system and 70 appointed by Al Sharaa. Three seats allocated for the southern province of Suwayda remain vacant due to security conditions.
According to the constitutional declaration, the parliament’s powers are primarily legislative, with responsibility for passing laws that previously could be issued directly by presidential decree. Foreign policy, defense, cabinet formation and senior state appointments remain under the president’s authority.
The transitional roadmap calls for parliament to adopt a permanent constitution and a new electoral law by the end of 2028, ahead of promised nationwide elections in 2029. Lawmakers are also expected to consider transitional justice legislation aimed at dealing with crimes committed during the country’s civil war.
The opening session, originally scheduled for last week, took place under days of heightened security after two explosions hit Damascus during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to the Syrian capital.
The formation of the new parliament is another step in rebuilding Syria’s state institutions following the overthrow of the Assad government in December 2024 after nearly 14 years of civil war.
