اخبار سوريا اليوم – وطن نيوز
سوريا اليوم – اخبار سوريا عاجل
W6nnews.com ==== وطن === تاريخ النشر – 2026-06-08 12:31:00
Despite the end of the People’s Assembly elections in the Syrian governorates, with the exception of Suwayda, and the completion of the last electoral elections in the eastern region, in Al-Hasakah Governorate and the Ain Al-Arab-Kobani constituency in Aleppo, the results of which were announced on May 24, the opening session of the Council is still absent from the political scene, contrary to the expectations and official statements that previously spoke of it being held at the end of last April or during the following weeks. On April 17, the Syrian President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, said that the first sessions of the Syrian Parliament (the People’s Assembly), which was elected, would be held at the end of April. During a press conference held with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, on April 9, the Syrian Foreign Minister, Asaad Al-Shaibani, indicated an imminent date for the first session to be held, without clarifying it precisely. This delay comes at a time when Syria is witnessing a sensitive phase that requires the completion of building constitutional and legislative institutions, in parallel with the executive authority issuing a number of laws and decrees that are supposed to be within the jurisdiction of the legislative authority in the future. Between considerations of political and societal representation, and the complexities of some internal files, the delay in convening the Council raises questions about its true causes and its repercussions on the course of the transitional phase. The Syrian case raises a legal and political debate. The delay cannot be read as a mere procedural issue, but rather reflects the magnitude of the challenges associated with restructuring the legislative authority in an unprecedented transitional phase in Syria. Management and governance expert and director of the European Institute for Political Initiatives and Strategic Analysis, Basem Hatahet, explains that many parliamentary systems around the world know a transitional period that extends for weeks or months between the end of the elections and the representatives fully assuming their constitutional duties, with the aim of completing the necessary organizational and administrative procedures, including preparing for the opening session, electing the Presidency of the Council, and forming its committees. However, Hatahet pointed out, in an interview with Enab Baladi, that the Syrian situation raises a legal and political debate about the adequacy of the procedural frameworks regulating the transitional phase, whether with regard to selection and representation mechanisms or to the regulatory procedures related to the convening of the Council. It is also noted that there is no clear announcement regarding the opening session or the formation of a transitional secretariat responsible for managing parliamentary work and preparing for the Council’s organizational duties. Between Al-Sharaa’s list and the entitlements of the transitional phase. For his part, the expert in public law and member of the Constitutional Declaration Drafting Committee, Dr. Ahmed Qarbi, in an interview with Enab Baladi, linked the reason for the delay in completing the list of 70 members to be appointed by President Al-Sharaa, in addition to the complications that accompanied the political process in northern and eastern Syria and the Suwayda file. He believes that there is an effort for the Council to be representative of the widest possible segment of Syrians, whether at the level of components or different social groups, in a way that gives the legislative institution a greater degree of legitimacy for the Council in the next stage, so that it is representative of the largest segment of Syrians. But he adds that the issue is also related to arranging priorities during the transitional phase, explaining that the focus during the past months was on stabilizing the security and military conditions and rebuilding the basic state institutions, before moving on to completing the construction of the legislative authority. As for who benefits from this delay, Al-Qirbi rejects the idea of a party that gains directly from the absence of the Council, considering that Syrians in general, as well as the government itself, lose as a result of the incomplete construction of constitutional institutions, especially the legislative authority. But he believes, on the other hand, that the delay provided additional time to try to involve the various Syrian regions in parliamentary representation more broadly. The reason for the delay in holding the first session of the People’s Assembly is related to the completion of the list of members who will be appointed by Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, who number 70 members, in addition to the complications that accompanied the political process in northern and eastern Syria and the Suwayda file. Ahmed Qarbi, an expert in public law and a member of the Constitutional Declaration Drafting Committee, has a more balanced formula for representation within the Council. As for governance expert, Dr. Zaydoun al-Zoubi, he told Enab Baladi that the delay reflects continued attempts to address some outstanding issues, most notably finding a way out of the intractability of the Suwayda file. He also touched on the difficulty of forming the list of appointments that will be issued by President Al-Sharaa, in a way that compensates for the shortcomings resulting from the election results, especially with regard to ensuring the representation of the various components and women in a more balanced manner. The spokesman for the “Supreme Committee for People’s Assembly Elections,” Nawar Najma, had told Enab Baladi earlier that the seats that President Al-Sharaa will determine will take place after holding the Hasakah Governorate elections, appreciating the representative nature of the members of the People’s Assembly, and working to achieve balance, especially with regard to the representation of women and some components of society. Najma explained that the first session will be chaired by the eldest member, and will include taking the legal oath of the members, then elections for the Speaker of the Council, his deputy, and members of the secret office. The total number of members of the People’s Assembly is 210, 140 seats are elected, while 70 seats are appointed by Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa. The files of transitional justice and the parties most affected. The question of how the delay in holding the first session of the Council affects the files of the internal system, transitional justice, and the parties is of particular importance, given that the expected Council will be concerned with approving a set of detailed legislation related to the future of the transitional phase. Here, governance expert Dr. Zaidoun Al-Zoubi warns that the continued delay will have direct repercussions on the course of transitional justice, considering that transitional justice laws and political parties will be among the first files that the Council is supposed to discuss when it meets. Therefore, the delay in forming the legislative authority practically means postponing these entitlements, which he describes as a “big problem.” The continued delay in holding the first session will have direct repercussions on the course of transitional justice, and the delay in forming the legislative authority practically means postponing transitional justice laws and political parties. Zaidoun Al-Zoubi is an expert in governance. From another angle, administration and governance expert, Dr. Bassem Hatahet, points out that the major transformations that Syria witnessed after the fall of the previous regime require the existence of constitutional and legislative institutions capable of keeping pace with the requirements of the transitional phase, ensuring the regularity of parliamentary work, and providing the necessary procedural frameworks for exercising legislative tasks. In turn, a member of the Supreme Committee for People’s Assembly Elections, Anas Al-Abda, said that the Council will focus on service and economic laws to improve the lives of citizens. He explained that about 800 laws in force in Syria cause great pressure on citizens and ministries and require reconsideration for amendment or repeal. Al-Abdah added in an interview with the official Syrian Al-Ikhbariya channel, on November 1, 2025, that laws and legislation are passed according to the approval of the majority or two-thirds when needed, indicating that the Council will work to approve laws that enhance services and reduce burdens on citizens. Within a month of starting its work, it will adopt a new internal system, after it undergoes review before being officially approved, according to Al-Abdah. Issuing decrees in the absence of the People’s Assembly. The issuance of a number of laws and decrees over the past months also sparked a debate about the limits of the legislative role of the executive authority in the absence of the People’s Assembly. Dr. Ahmed Al-Qirbi believes that the issuance of these legislations was more a result of the circumstances of the transitional period than an intended political choice, pointing out that important laws such as the investment law and the establishment of some bodies and institutions were supposed to pass through the legislative authority, but the lack of an effective People’s Assembly made the presidency the only body capable of making these decisions. He added that the ideal solution is for the Council to convene as soon as possible to regain its legislative powers, provided that it later reviews the legislation that was issued during his absence, whether by approving, amending, or even repealing it if he deems it necessary. As for Dr. Zaidoun Al-Zoubi, he believes that there is a violation of the Constitutional Declaration due to the lack of legislative powers, but he considers that the greatest concern does not lie in the issuance of laws itself, but rather in the continued delay of the basic laws related to the transitional phase as a result of the absence of the Council. Legally… Has the constitutional process been completed? The controversy over the delay in holding the first session of the People’s Assembly is not limited to its political and procedural dimensions, but rather extends to legal and constitutional questions related to the extent of this delay’s compatibility with the provisions of the Constitutional Declaration regulating the transitional period. The specialist in international criminal law and human rights, Al-Muatasem Al-Kilani, provides a legal interpretation of the delay in holding the first session of the People’s Assembly, stressing that the end of the electoral process does not mean the completion of the constitutional path stipulated in the Constitutional Declaration for the year 2025. Al-Kilani points out that the Constitutional Declaration did not limit itself to forming the Council, but rather laid out a clear mechanism to begin its work, as Article “28” stipulated the election of the Speaker of the Council, his two deputies, and the Secretary during the first session, while Article “29” required the preparation of the bylaws. to the Council within one month of that session. According to Al-Kilani, these texts reflect a constitutional assumption that the Council will convene within a period of time close to the completion of its formation, given that many constitutional powers cannot be exercised before the opening session is held. He believes that the delay should not necessarily be interpreted as a crisis or deliberate disruption, but rather it can be understood in the context of a transitional phase in which the state is still working to rebuild its institutions after long years of war and division. But at the same time, he warns that if the delay continues for a long period, the transitional phase may lose one of its most important foundations, which is the gradual transition from state administration through executive decisions to institutional administration based on the integration of constitutional powers. Challenges related to restructuring institutions. In his legal explanation of the reasons for the delay, Al-Kilani links this to the nature of the transitional phase itself, given that the current council represents the first legislative institution formed after the end of the Arab Socialist Baath Party’s dominance over parliament and legislative authority for more than six decades. He points out that the state is still facing challenges related to restructuring institutions, completing the administrative structure, reintegrating national competencies, and organizing the relationship between the center and the governorates, in addition to the requirements of achieving balanced representation within the Council in accordance with the mechanisms specified in the Constitutional Declaration. Al-Kilani confirms that the continued absence of the Council has a direct impact on many legislative and regulatory files, as the preparation of the bylaws, the formation of the permanent committees, and the oversight and legislative work mechanisms are all legally related to the holding of the first session. Legally, the reasons for delaying the first session are related to the nature of the transitional phase, and the state is still facing challenges related to restructuring institutions, completing the administrative structure, re-integrating national competencies, and organizing the relationship between the center and the governorates, in addition to the requirements for achieving balanced representation within the council. Al-Muatasem Al-Kilani is a specialist in international criminal law and human rights. “Justice” files need a “broad” legislative framework. Al-Kilani believes that transitional justice files need a broad legislative framework that includes laws related to revealing the truth, reparation, regulating the conditions of victims and missing persons, and reforming public institutions, stressing that discussing these files within a legislative institution that represents the various governorates and social segments gives them broader national legitimacy. He adds that the Transitional Justice Law also requires amendments related to the Syrian Penal Code, including dropping the statute of limitations and introducing criminalization standards for war crimes and crimes against humanity. In the same context, he points out that the Parties Law and political life constitute an essential part of the five-year transitional period, which is supposed to end with a permanent constitution and general elections, which makes the presence of an effective People’s Assembly an important factor in discussing this legislation and giving it more stability and legitimacy. Previous decrees…the need to manage the state. Regarding the issuance of laws and decrees during the period of the absence of the Council, Al-Kilani calls for adopting a balanced approach, explaining that the Constitutional Declaration granted the President of the Republic broad powers to manage the transitional phase, but at the same time it clearly stated that legislative authority is exercised by the People’s Assembly, granting it the powers to propose, approve, amend laws, and repeal legislation in force. According to Al-Kilani, the laws and decrees issued during the past months can be understood within the framework of the need to manage the state during a rapid and changing transitional phase, but that does not eliminate the urgent need for the People’s Assembly to convene as soon as possible. He also confirms that the start of the Council’s work does not necessarily mean canceling previously issued legislation, but rather allows it to be reviewed in accordance with the powers granted to it constitutionally, whether by confirming, amending, or redrafting the applicable laws in a way that is consistent with the requirements of the next stage. Al-Kilani concludes that the essence of the problem does not lie in the presence of broad powers for the executive authority during the transitional phase, as much as it lies in the necessity of completing the institutional building stipulated in the Constitutional Declaration. The more the People’s Assembly begins exercising its legislative and oversight powers, and deals with the issues of transitional justice, political life, and reviewing applicable laws, the closer Syria comes to moving from managing necessity to consolidating a state of institutions, of which the People’s Assembly is one of its most prominent pillars. Related
