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People's Assembly of Syria

Coordinates: 33°31′5″N 36°17′35″E / 33.51806°N 36.29306°E / 33.51806; 36.29306
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People's Assembly

مجلس الشعب
23rd People's Assembly
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
History
Founded1930; 95 years ago (1930)
(as Chamber of Deputies)
2025; 0 years ago (2025)
(current format)
Leadership
Vacant
since 12 December 2024
Structure
Seats210
Political groups
  •   Independents (122)
  •   Pending (72)
  •   Vacant (16)
Length of term
30 months,
renewable once
Elections
First election
1931–32
Last election
5 October 2025
Meeting place
People's Assembly building, Damascus, Syria
Website
https://www.parliament.gov.sy/
Constitution
2025 Interim Constitution of Syria
Politics of Syria

Arab League Member State of the Arab League

Constitution
Executive
Legislature
Judiciary
Subdivisions
Elections
Foreign relations

The People's Assembly (Arabic: مَجْلِس الشَّعْب, ALA-LC: Majlis ash-Shaʻb, also called the People's Council[1]) is the unicameral legislative body of Syria. Currently, under the Syrian transitional government, the assembly is composed of 210 members serving a renewable 30-month term; 119 of these members were elected in the 2025 Syrian parliamentary election through an electoral college, whilst the remaining 70 is to be chosen directly by the president of Syria.

The remaining 16 seats are currently left vacant due to the regions representing them, that being Al-Hasakah, Suwayda, and Raqqa, having their elections postponed for the time being. Elections have also been delayed in Ayn al-Arab District, resulting in 2 more pending seats.

History

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French Mandate

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After the fall of the Ottoman Empire in 1918, the Syrian National Congress was convened in May 1919 in Damascus. In September 1920, Henri Gouraud, High Commissioner of the Levant, formed a representative council, with two-thirds elected and one-third appointed by the French administration. On 28 June 1922, the Syrian Federation was established, creating a Federation Council of 15 members from various states. Due to the lack of elections, these members were appointed by the High Commissioner in 1923, and their terms were extended the following year.[2]

In 1925, after the formation of the State of Syria, President Ahmad Nami and High Commissioner Henri Ponsot agreed to hold elections for a constituent assembly to draft a constitution.[3] This led to the first Syrian legislative elections in 1928, which elected 68 representatives but was later disbanded on 5 February 1929.[4] Article Thirty of the 1930 Constitution established a legislative authority known as the House of Representatives, with representatives elected for five-year terms. From the adoption of the constitution until its abolition in 1949, the number of representatives ranged from 68 to 136 members.

The first elections for the House of Representatives were held in December 1931 and January 1932. The first council met in June 1932 and facilitated a compromise that led to Muhammad Ali Bey al-Abid's presidency. In the 1936 elections, the National Bloc won the majority of seats in the House of Representatives, and Hashim al-Atassi was elected president.[5] Concurrently, negotiations with France led to the independence treaty, ratified by the Syrian Parliament in December 1936. In 1938, Fares Al-Khoury became the first Christian to be elected Speaker.

Post-Independence (1946–1963)

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Hashim al-Atassi, Syria's at the time president, being elected by a unanimous vote in Parliament in December 1949

The first elections after independence were the 1947 parliamentary election, with the People's Party winning a plurality but no absolute majority. In 1949, a series of military coups led to the dissolution of parliament and constitutional suspensions.[6][7] A Constituent Assembly elected in 1949 drafted the 1950 Constitution, which strengthened parliamentary powers.

Adib al-Shishakli's 1951 coup dissolved parliament, and his 1953 election, with only 16% turnout, created an 82-member legislature under a presidential system.[8][9][10] After his ouster in 1954, parliamentary rule was restored, with the People's Party and Ba'ath Party gaining influence.[11][12]

In 1958, the Syrian parliament was replaced by the UAR's National Assembly, where Syrians held one-third of the seats. Following Syria's withdrawal, the 1961 election restored parliamentary democracy.[13]

Ba'athist rule

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Following the 1963 coup, a 250-member People's Assembly largely served as a rubber stamp for the ruling Ba'athists.[14] Only parties affiliated to the National Progressive Front could participate in elections.

The 2012 elections, held on 7 May, resulted in a new parliament that, for the first time in four decades, was nominally based on a multi-party system.[15] The opposition was represented by the Popular Front for Change and Liberation, winning 6 seats. It later boycotted the 2016 elections as the government hadn't upheld its pledges to seek constitutional amendments and pursue political negotiations.[16]

In 2016, Hadiya Khalaf Abbas, representing Deir Ezzor since 2003, became the first woman elected to be the Speaker.[17][18][19] In 2017, Hammouda Sabbagh became the first Syriac Orthodox Christian to have held the post.[20]

Post-Assad regime

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Following the fall of the Assad regime on 8 December 2024, the assembly published a statement calling that day a "historic day in the lives of all Syrians", stating that it would work towards ensuring the upholding of the rule of law without discrimination. The statement included the new coat of arms of Syria, adorned with the flag of the Syrian opposition.[21]

On 11 December, the Ba'ath Party indefinitely halted all activities.[22][23] The following day, the Syrian caretaker government suspended the assembly and constitution for a three-month transitional period.[24] The People's Assembly was dissolved on 29 January 2025 when plans to establish an interim legislative council were announced by the Syrian transitional government.[25] Following the adoption of the 2025 Interim Constitution of Syria, a provisional parliament called the "People's Assembly" was established to serve as the interim parliament during the five-year transition, overseeing the drafting of a new permanent constitution.[26] The president selects one-third of the People's Assembly members,[27], with the remaining two-thirds being elected through commissions supervised by a committee designated by the president.[28][29]

A presidential decree issued on 2 June 2025 established the Higher Committee for People's Assembly Elections. The 11-member committee is responsible for overseeing the formation of electoral sub-committees, which will elect two-thirds of the members of the People's Assembly.[30]

On 5 October, the 2025 Syrian parliamentary election was held in the temporary electoral system as an indirect vote, where only around 6,000 selected Syrians were eligible. 140 members were due to be elected by the electoral college, although only 119 were elected on election day due to postponement in select areas from security concerns.[31][32][33][34] President Ahmed al-Sharaa is set to appoint the remaining 70 additional members.[31]

Sectarian representation

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The representation of various sects in the Syrian parliament has evolved over time, influenced by both formal allocations and informal practices. The 1930 Constitution mandated fair representation for religious minorities in both parliament and top-tier government positions, similar to Lebanon's system. This allocation continued until 1949, when it was abolished by Husni al-Za'im. The 1950 Constitution further eliminated sectarian seat allocations, though it maintained reserved seats for non-Muslims, such as Christians and Jews who had at least one representative in the 1920s,[35] as well as for nomadic Bedouins. Notably, seats designated for Bedouins were filled by tribal leaders rather than through elections. The Yazidis (around 13,000 people) were entirely excluded from parliamentary representation, as the Syrian state did not recognize their faith, classifying them as Sunni Muslims.[36][37] Furthermore, Kurdish political representation in Syria was limited due to the denial of citizenship to many Kurds, particularly following the 1962 census.[38]

Under Hafez al-Assad's rule, which began in 1971, the Ba'ath Party dominated the political landscape. While the 1973 Constitution did not specify sectarian quotas, the regime maintained a balance to ensure representation of key groups. According to data from 2024, the 250 seats in the People's Council are distributed as follows: Sunni Muslims (171 seats), reflecting their majority status in Syria's population, Alawites (39 seats), corresponding to their demographic proportion, Christians (23 seats), allocated across various provinces, Druze (9 seats), with a significant number from the Suwayda Governorate, Shia Muslims (5 seats), Ismailis (2 seats), Murshidites (1 seat).[36]

Last election

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Main article: 2025 Syrian parliamentary election

Elections were last held on 5 October 2025. President Ahmed al-Sharaa has yet to select the remaining 70 seats as of now.

PartySeats+/–
Independents122+57
Pending72–
Vacant16–
Total2100

Historical composition

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Syrian National Congress (1919–1920)

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Further information: Syrian National Congress
  Progress
  Democratic
  Independent
Election No. Total seats Composition
1919 — 120
65 35 20

Constituent Assembly (1928–1929)

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Further information: 1928 Constituent Assembly of Syria
Election No. Total seats Composition
1928 — 58

Chamber of Deputies (1930–1958, 1961–1963)

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  Communist
  Ba'ath
  Socialist Cooperation
  Arab Liberation Movement
  National Bloc
  National Party
  Liberal Party
  People's Party
  Muslim Brotherhood
  SSNP
  Ind.
Election No. Total seats Composition
1932 1st 67
1936 2nd 80
1943 3rd 124
1947 4th 130
24 53 53
1949 5th 114
1 13 63 4 1 32
1953 6th 83
72 1 10
1954 7th 140
1 22 2 2 19 30 2 62
1961 8th 172
20 4 21 33 10 84

National Council for the Revolutionary Command (1966)

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Further information: National Council for the Revolutionary Command
Election No. Total seats Composition
1966 — 134

People's Assembly (Since 1971)

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  Communist
  Communist (Bakdash)
  Communist (Unified)
  Dem. Socialist Unionist
  Arab Dem. Union
  Socialist Unionist
  Arab Socialist Union
  Arab Socialist Movement
  National Covenant
  Ba'ath
  SSNP
  People's Will
  Independent
Election No. Total seats Composition
1971 9th 173
1973 10th 186
8 1 6 3 122 46
1977 11th 195
8 3 10 3 125 46
1981 12th
8 9 5 127 46
1986 13th
8 3 10 3 130 35
1990 14th 246
8 4 7 8 5 134 80
1994 15th
8 4 2 7 7 4 135 79
1998 16th 248
8 4 2 7 7 4 135 81
2003 17th 250
8 4 7 7 4 2 135 83
2007 18th
5 3 4 1 6 8 3 3 134 2 81
2012 19th
8 3 18 2 3 134 4 1 77
2016 20th
3 1 2 2 1 172 7 62
2020 21st
3 1 1 1 2 3 2 167 3 67
2024 22nd
2 2 1 2 2 2 2 169 3 65
2025 23rd 210
122 72 16

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "The first Jewish rabbi to run for the Syrian parliament after nearly six decades - SANA". 2025-10-03. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
  2. ^ Alhakim 1983, pp. 86–87.
  3. ^ Alhakim 1983, p. 209.
  4. ^ Alhakim 1983, p. 216.
  5. ^ Alhakim 1983, p. 269.
  6. ^ Torrey 1964, p. 105.
  7. ^ Haddad 2007, p. 26.
  8. ^ Bishour 1994, p. 428.
  9. ^ Torrey 1964, p. 147.
  10. ^ Haddad 2007, p. 58.
  11. ^ Torrey 1964, p. 213.
  12. ^ Haddad 2007, p. 79.
  13. ^ Haddad 2007, p. 162.
  14. ^ Oweis, Khaled Yacoub. "Syria to elect parliament in July after Assad makes changes in ruling Baath party". The National. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  15. ^ "Assad says Syria 'able' to get out of crisis". Al Jazeera. 2012-05-25. Archived from the original on 2012-05-24. Retrieved 2012-06-11.
  16. ^ Szmolk, Inmaculada (2017). Political Change in the Middle East and North Africa: After the Arab Spring. Edinburgh, United Kingdom: Edinburgh University Press. pp. 415–416. ISBN 978-1-4744-1528 6.
  17. ^ "Hadiyeh Khalaf Abbas Elected as First Woman Speaker of Syrian People's Assembly". Al Manar TV Website Archive. Archived from the original on 2023-04-28. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  18. ^ "Hadiyeh Khalaf Abbas elected as first woman speaker of People's Assembly". Archived from the original on 16 July 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  19. ^ "Hadiyeh Khalaf Abbas elected as the first woman Speaker of the People's Assembly". Syrian Arab News Agency. 2016-06-06. Archived from the original on 2022-05-22. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  20. ^ "انتخاب مسيحي أرثوذكسي رئيسًا لمجلس الشعب السوري". وطنى (in Arabic). 2017-09-28. Archived from the original on 2019-05-26. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  21. ^ "Syria Parliament Says 'Supports People's Will', After Assad Falls". Barron's. 9 December 2024.
  22. ^ "Assad's Baath party suspends work indefinitely in Syria". France 24. 11 December 2024.
  23. ^ "Baath Party Of Syria's Assad Says Suspends Work Indefinitely". Barron's. 11 December 2024.
  24. ^ "Syria's new govt says to suspend constitution, parliament for three months". Al Arabiya. 12 December 2024.
  25. ^ "Syria's Ahmed al-Sharaa named president for transitional period". Al Jazeera English. 29 January 2025.
  26. ^ "Syrian leader signs constitution that puts the country under an Islamist group's rule for 5 years". AP News. 13 March 2025. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  27. ^ "Syria's new constitution gives sweeping powers, ignores minority rights". France 24. 2025-03-14. Retrieved 2025-03-16.
  28. ^ Ward, Euan (14 March 2025). "Syria Has a New Temporary Constitution. Here Are the Highlights". NY Times. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
  29. ^ "Syria gets temporary constitution for five-year transition". www.bbc.com. 14 March 2025. Archived from the original on 15 March 2025. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  30. ^ "مرسوم رئاسي بتشكيل اللجنة العليا لانتخابات مجلس الشعب". الوكالة العربية السورية للأنباء. 2025-06-13. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  31. ^ a b Gritten, David (7 October 2025). "Syria acknowledges 'shortcomings' in number of seats won by women at election". BBC News. Archived from the original on 7 October 2025.
  32. ^ "Syria announces results of 1st parliamentary elections since Assad's fall". Anadolu Agency. 6 October 2025. Archived from the original on 7 October 2025.
  33. ^ Shelton, Jon (23 August 2025). "Syria delays election in Sweida and Kurdish areas". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
  34. ^ "Syria delays parliamentary vote in Sweida after attacks". The Jerusalem Post. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
  35. ^ "Jews of Syria Are Denied Right of Group Representation in Parliament". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 13 April 1928.
  36. ^ a b Issam Khoury (30 May 2024). "Syrian People's Council: Between Change and Noise".
  37. ^ "Yazidis in Syria: Decades of Denial of Existence and Discrimination". Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ). 5 September 2022.
  38. ^ "World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Syria : Kurds". Refworld. March 2018.

33°31′5″N 36°17′35″E / 33.51806°N 36.29306°E / 33.51806; 36.29306

Sources

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