View source for People's Assembly of Syria

{{Short description|Legislative authority of Syria}}
{{Infobox legislature
| background_color   = #ffffff
| name               = {{nowrap|People's Assembly}}
| native_name        = {{nobold|مجلس الشعب}}
| native_name_lang   = 
| transcription_name = 
| legislature        = Currently dissolved<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.am/eng/news/856949.html|title=Syria new leadership suspends constitution, parliament for 3 months|work=Middle East Monitor|date=14 December 2024}}</ref><br />Most recent: [[List of members of the Parliament of Syria, September–December 2024|17th Parliament]]
| coa_pic            = Emblem of Syria.svg
| coa_res            = 
| coa_alt            =
| house_type         = Unicameral
| body               = 
| foundation         = {{start date and age|df=yes|1947}}
| houses             = 
| leader1_type       = [[Speaker of the People's Assembly of Syria|Speaker]]
| leader1            = Vacant
| party1             = 
| election1          = 12 December 2024
| leader2_type       = 
| leader2            = 
| party2             = 
| election2          = 
| leader3_type       = 
| leader3            = 
| party3             = 
| election3          = 
| leader4_type       = 
| leader4            = 
| party4             = 
| election4          = 
| leader5_type       = 
| leader5            = 
| party5             = 
| election5          = 
| leader6_type       = 
| leader6            = 
| party6             = 
| election6          = 
| members            = 150
| house1             = 
| house2             = 
| structure1         = 
| structure1_res     = 250px
| structure1_alt     = 
| structure2         = 
| structure2_res     = 
| structure2_alt     = 
| political_groups1  =
| political_groups2  = 
| committees1        = 
| committees2        = 
| joint_committees   = 
| last_election1     = [[2024 Syrian parliamentary election|15 July 2024]]
| last_election2     = 
| term_length        = 30 months<br>renewable
| next_election1     = 
| voting_system1     = 
| previous_election2 =
| session_room       = Syrian Parliament in mid-20th century.jpg
| session_res        = 150px  
| session_alt        = 
| meeting_place      = People's Assembly building, [[Damascus]], [[Syria]]
| website            ={{URL|http://parliament.gov.sy/}} 
| footnotes          = 
| motto              = 
}}
{{Politics of Syria}}

Following the [[fall of the Assad regime]] in December 2024, a '''People's Assembly''' ({{langx|ar|مَجْلِس الشَّعْب}}, {{ALA-LC|ar|Majlis ash-Shaʻb}}) is expected to be formed in [[Syria]]. During the [[Ba'athist Syria|Ba'athist era]], the assembly consisted of 250 members elected for four-year terms across 15 multi-seat constituencies. In contrast, during the [[Syrian transitional government|transitional period]], the assembly will be composed of 150 members serving a renewable 30-month term. Of these, 100 members will be elected by a higher committee across 14 multi-seat constituencies, while the remaining 50 will be appointed by the [[President of Syria|president]].

==History==
===French Mandate===
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.{{sfn|Alhakim|1983|pp=86–87}}

In 1925, after the formation of the [[State of Syria (1925–1930)|State of Syria]], President [[Ahmad Nami]] and High Commissioner [[Henri Ponsot]] agreed to hold elections for a constituent assembly to draft a constitution.{{sfn|Alhakim|1983|p=209}} This led to the first Syrian legislative elections in 1928, which elected 68 representatives but was later disbanded on 5 February 1929.{{sfn|Alhakim|1983|p=216}} Article Thirty of the [[Syrian Constitution of 1930|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 (Syria)|National Bloc]] won the majority of seats in the House of Representatives, and [[Hashim al-Atassi]] was elected president.{{sfn|Alhakim|1983|p=269}} 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 [[Christianity in Syria|Christian]] to be elected Speaker.

===Post-Independence (1946–1963)===
[[File:Atassi_2nd_inauguration_Dec_1949.jpg|thumb|Syria's President [[Hashim al-Atassi]], elected by a unanimous vote in Parliament in December 1949]]
The first elections after independence were the [[1947 Syrian parliamentary election|1947 parliamentary election]], with the [[People's Party (Syria)|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.{{sfn|Torrey|1964|page=105}}{{sfn|Haddad|2007|page=26}} A Constituent Assembly elected in 1949 drafted the [[Syrian Constitution of 1950|1950 Constitution]], which strengthened parliamentary powers.

[[Adib al-Shishakli]]'s [[1951 Syrian coup d'état|1951 coup]] dissolved parliament, and his [[1953 Syrian parliamentary election|1953 election]], with only 16% turnout, created an 82-member legislature under a presidential system.{{sfn|Bishour|1994|page=428}}{{sfn|Torrey|1964|page=147}}{{sfn|Haddad|2007|page=58}} After his ouster in 1954, parliamentary rule was restored, with the People's Party and [[Ba'ath Party]] gaining influence.{{sfn|Torrey|1964|page=213}}{{sfn|Haddad|2007|page=79}}

In 1958, the Syrian parliament was replaced by the [[United Arab Republic|UAR]]'s National Assembly, where Syrians held one-third of the seats. Following Syria's withdrawal, the [[1961 Syrian parliamentary election|1961 election]] restored parliamentary democracy.{{sfn|Haddad|2007|page=162}}

===Ba'athist rule===
Following the [[1963 Syrian coup d'état|1963 coup]], a 250-member People's Assembly largely served as a [[Rubber stamp (politics)|rubber stamp]] for the ruling [[Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region|Ba'athists]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Oweis |first1=Khaled Yacoub |title=Syria to elect parliament in July after Assad makes changes in ruling Baath party |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/05/12/assad-syria-elections/ |website=[[The National (Abu Dhabi)|The National]] |access-date=5 July 2024}}</ref> Only parties affiliated to the [[National Progressive Front (Syria)|National Progressive Front]] could participate in elections.

The [[Syrian parliamentary election, 2012|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]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/05/2012524113941282101.html |title=Assad says Syria 'able' to get out of crisis |publisher=[[Al Jazeera English|Al Jazeera]] |date=2012-05-25 |access-date=2012-06-11 |archive-date=2012-05-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524153232/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/05/2012524113941282101.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The opposition was represented by the [[Popular Front for Change and Liberation]], winning 6 seats. It later boycotted the [[2016 Syrian parliamentary election|2016 elections]] as the government hadn't upheld its pledges to seek constitutional amendments and pursue political negotiations.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Szmolk |first=Inmaculada |title=Political Change in the Middle East and North Africa: After the Arab Spring |publisher=Edinburgh University Press |year=2017 |isbn=978-1-4744-1528 6 |location=Edinburgh, United Kingdom |pages=415–416}}</ref>

In 2016, [[Hadiya Khalaf Abbas]], Ph.D., representing [[Deir Ezzor]] since 2003, became the first woman elected to be the Speaker.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hadiyeh Khalaf Abbas Elected as First Woman Speaker of Syrian People's Assembly |url=https://archive.almanar.com.lb/english/article.php?id=273029 |access-date=2023-04-28 |website=Al Manar TV Website Archive |archive-date=2023-04-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230428124800/https://archive.almanar.com.lb/english/article.php?id=273029 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|access-date=16 July 2021|archive-date=16 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210716152551/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/hadiyeh-khalaf-abbas-elected-first-woman-speaker-peoples-assembly/|title=Hadiyeh Khalaf Abbas elected as first woman speaker of People's Assembly|url=https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/hadiyeh-khalaf-abbas-elected-first-woman-speaker-peoples-assembly/|url-status=dead}}<!-- auto-translated by Module:CS1 translator --></ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-06-06 |title=Hadiyeh Khalaf Abbas elected as the first woman Speaker of the People's Assembly |url=https://sana.sy/en/?p=79434 |access-date=2023-04-28 |website=Syrian Arab News Agency |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-05-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220522205849/http://sana.sy/en/?p=79434 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2017, [[Hammouda Sabbagh]] became the first [[Oriental Orthodoxy in Syria|Syriac Orthodox Christian]] to have held the post.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-09-28 |title=انتخاب مسيحي أرثوذكسي رئيسًا لمجلس الشعب السوري |url=https://www.wataninet.com/2017/09/%d8%a7%d9%86%d8%aa%d8%ae%d8%a7%d8%a8-%d9%85%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%ad%d9%8a-%d8%a3%d8%b1%d8%ab%d9%88%d8%b0%d9%83%d8%b3%d9%8a-%d8%b1%d8%a6%d9%8a%d8%b3%d9%8b%d8%a7-%d9%84%d9%85%d8%ac%d9%84%d8%b3-%d8%a7%d9%84/ |access-date=2023-04-28 |website=وطنى |language=ar |archive-date=2019-05-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526134231/http://www.wataninet.com/2017/09/%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D9%85%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%AD%D9%8A-%D8%A3%D8%B1%D8%AB%D9%88%D8%B0%D9%83%D8%B3%D9%8A-%D8%B1%D8%A6%D9%8A%D8%B3%D9%8B%D8%A7-%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D9%84/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Post-Assad regime===
{{More citations needed section|date=June 2025}}

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 Syria#Syrian civil war|flag of the Syrian opposition]].<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=9 December 2024 |title=Syria Parliament Says 'Supports People's Will', After Assad Falls |url=https://www.barrons.com/news/syria-parliament-says-supports-people-s-will-after-assad-falls-e1902295?refsec=topics_afp-news |access-date= |website=[[Barron's]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

On 11 December, the Ba'ath Party indefinitely halted all activities.<ref>{{cite web |title=Assad's Baath party suspends work indefinitely in Syria |url=https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20241211-live-syrian-refugees-attempt-return-to-homeland-after-assad-regime-ousted |website=France 24 |language=en |date=11 December 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=11 December 2024 |title=Baath Party Of Syria's Assad Says Suspends Work Indefinitely |url=https://www.barrons.com/news/baath-party-of-syria-s-assad-says-suspends-work-indefinitely-dcb89cba |access-date= |website=[[Barron's]] |language=en}}</ref> The following day, the [[Syrian caretaker government]] suspended the assembly and constitution for a three-month transitional period.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2024/12/12/syria-s-new-govt-says-to-suspend-constitution-parliament-for-three-months- |title=Syria's new govt says to suspend constitution, parliament for three months |publisher=Al Arabiya |date=12 December 2024 }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/29/syrias-ahmed-al-sharaa-named-president-for-transitional-period |title=Syria's Ahmed al-Sharaa named president for transitional period |publisher=[[Al Jazeera English]] |date=29 January 2025 }}</ref> Following the adoption of the [[2025 Interim Constitution of Syria]] a provisional parliament called the People's Assembly was established with the president appointing one third of its members.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250314-syria-s-new-constitution-gives-sweeping-powers-ignores-minority-rights|title=Syria's new constitution gives sweeping powers, ignores minority rights|date=2025-03-14|access-date=2025-03-16|publisher=[[France 24]]}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sana.sy/?p=2231640|title=مرسوم رئاسي بتشكيل اللجنة العليا لانتخابات مجلس الشعب|date=2025-06-13|access-date=2025-06-14|publisher=الوكالة العربية السورية للأنباء}}</ref>

The new electoral framework replaces direct public elections—used under the former regime—with an indirect system. Instead of direct votes, subcommittees will form local electoral bodies, which in turn will choose members of Parliament.

According to the committee, this approach is intended to suit the transitional and legislative—not representative—nature of the new Parliament. The aim is to select technocrats and academics:

70% of the members will be academics or experts,

30% will be notable community figures (preferably with academic qualifications as well).

Each subcommittee will nominate 50 candidates per district, forming an electoral body, from which a single parliamentary representative will be elected. There are 65 administrative districts across Syria, and 14 subcommittees will be formed—one per province, totaling 130 officials to oversee the process.

The committee expects to finish the selection and consultations within 15 days.

==Sectarian representation==
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 [[Christianity in Syria|Christians]] and [[Syrian Jews|Jews]] who had at least one representative in the 1920s,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jta.org/archive/jews-of-syria-are-denied-right-of-group-representation-in-parliament |title=Jews of Syria Are Denied Right of Group Representation in Parliament |publisher=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |date=13 April 1928 }}</ref> 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.<ref name="issamkh"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://stj-sy.org/en/yazidis-in-syria-decades-of-denial-of-existence-and-discrimination/ |title=Yazidis in Syria: Decades of Denial of Existence and Discrimination |publisher=Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ) |date=5 September 2022 }}</ref> Furthermore, [[Syrian Kurds|Kurdish]] political representation in Syria was limited due to the denial of citizenship to many Kurds, particularly following the 1962 census.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.refworld.org/reference/countryrep/mrgi/2018/en/107430 |title=World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Syria : Kurds |publisher=Refworld |date=March 2018 }}</ref>

Under [[Hafez al-Assad]]'s rule, which began in 1971, the Ba'ath Party dominated the political landscape. While the [[1973 Constitution of Ba'athist Syria|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), [[Salman al-Murshid|Murshidites]] (1 seat).<ref name="issamkh">{{cite web |author=Issam Khoury |url=https://issamkh.com/2024/05/30/syrian-peoples-council-between-change-and-noise/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |title=Syrian People's Council: Between Change and Noise |date=30 May 2024 }}</ref>

==Last election==
{{main|2024 Syrian parliamentary election}}
The last elections were held on the 15 July 2024. The [[National Progressive Front (Syria)|National Progressive Front]] won 185 out of 250 seats, 169 of which were for the Ba'ath Party, while 65 [[Independent Politician|Independents]] held the rest of the seats.<ref>{{cite web |title=Syria's ruling Baath party wins parliamentary vote as expected |url=https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2024/07/18/syria-s-ruling-baath-party-wins-parliamentary-vote-as-expected |website=[[Al Arabiya English]] |access-date=19 July 2024}}</ref>

{{Election results
|image=[[File:People's Assembly of Syria 2024.svg]]
|alliance1=National Progressive Front (Syria)|National Progressive Front|aspan1=9<!--|vspan1=9-->|party1=[[Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region]]|Ba'ath Party|seats1=169
|party2=[[Syrian Social Nationalist Party]]|seats2=3
|party3=[[Arab Socialist Union Party (Syria)]]|Arab Socialist Union Party|seats3=2
|party4=[[Syrian Communist Party (Bakdash)]]|seats4=2
|party5=[[National Covenant Party]]|seats5=2
|party6=[[Socialist Unionist Party (Syria)]]|Socialist Unionist Party|seats6=2
|party7=[[Arab Democratic Union Party]]|seats7=2
|party8=[[Syrian Communist Party (Unified)]]|seats8=2
|party9=[[Democratic Socialist Unionist Party]]|seats9=1
|alliance10=Independents|seats10=65
}}

==Names of legislature==
The name of the legislature in Syria has changed, as follows, as has the composition and functions:
* Under the [[Occupied Enemy Territory Administration]] (1917–1920)
** [[Syrian National Congress]] (1919–1920)
* [[Arab Kingdom of Syria]] (1920)
** [[Syrian National Congress]] (1920)
* [[State of Syria]], part of the French Mandate (1922–1930)
** Constituent Council (1923–1925)
** Constituent Assembly (1924–1930)
* [[First Syrian Republic|First Syrian Republic (1930–50)]] 
** Council of Representatives (1932–1933)
** Chamber of Deputies (1932–1946)
** House of Representatives (1947–1949)
*[[Second Syrian Republic|Second Syrian Republic (1950–58)]]
** Constituent Assembly (1949–1951)
** Chamber of Deputies (1953–1958)
* [[United Arab Republic|United Arab Republic (1958–1961)]]
** Chamber of Deputies (1958–1960)
*[[Second Syrian Republic|Second Syrian Republic (1961–63)]]
** Chamber of Deputies (1961–1963)
* [[Ba'athist Syria|Ba'athist Syria (1961–2024)]]
** National Revolutionary Council (1963–1966)
** People's Assembly (1971–2024)
*[[Syria|Syria (2024–present)]]
** People's Assembly (2024–present)

==See also==
* [[Speaker of the People's Assembly of Syria]]
* [[Politics of Syria]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
{{Coord|33|31|5|N|36|17|35|E|region:SY_type:landmark|display=title}}

==Sources==
* {{cite book |last=Alhakim |first=Youssef |title=Syria and the French Mandate |publisher=Dar Al-Nahar |location=Beirut |year=1983 |language=ar }}
* {{cite book |last=Bishour |first=Wadi' |title=Syria: The Making of a State and the Birth of a Nation |year=1994 |publisher=Dar Al-Yaziji |location=Damascus, Syria |edition=1st |language=ar }}
* {{cite book |last=Haddad |first=Ghassan Mohammed Rashad |title=Shami Papers: Contemporary Syrian History 1946-1966 |year=2007 |publisher=Madbouly Library |isbn=9789772086276 |url=https://www.google.com/books/?id=FgsrDwAAQBAJ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20200810123957/https://books.google.com/books/?id=FgsrDwAAQBAJ |archive-date=10 August 2020 |language=ar }}
* {{cite book |last=Torrey |first=Gordon |title=Syrian Politics and the Military, 1945-1958 |year=1964 |publisher=Ohio State University Press |language=en |url=https://books.google.com/books/?id=wIRtAAAAMAAJ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810115216/https://books.google.com/books/?id=wIRtAAAAMAAJ |archive-date=10 August 2020}}

==External links==
*[http://www.parliament.gov.sy People's Assembly of Syria] ''official government website''
*[https://www.facebook.com/Syrian.Peoples.Assembly People's Assembly of Syria] on Facebook
*{{ArabDecision|inst_brows_3_5_2_1_3_3.htm|Syria's Legislative System}}

{{commons category|People's Council of Syria}}

{{Syria topics}}
{{Asia topic|Parliament of}}
{{National unicameral legislatures}}

[[Category:People's Assembly of Syria| ]]
[[Category:Government of Syria]]
[[Category:Unicameral legislatures|Syria]]
[[Category:National legislatures|Syria]]
[[Category:History of Syria]]
[[Category:Syria (region)]]