How Syria’s legislative body is navigating a historic transition toward a new constitutional era.

Countries & Cities · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Following the 2024 collapse of the Assad regime, Syria’s People’s Assembly underwent a radical transformation. Once a rubber-stamp institution, it now operates under a transitional government, tasked with overseeing the drafting of a permanent constitution. This shift marks a pivotal attempt to establish parliamentary independence after decades of centralized control.

The People's Assembly has a volatile history, originating from the Syrian National Congress formed in 1919 after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. Throughout the 20th century, the body fluctuated between periods of parliamentary democracy and dissolution, often triggered by military coups. From 1963 until 2024, the assembly functioned primarily as a tool for the Ba'athist regime, with elections restricted to parties affiliated with the National Progressive Front. This era of dominance ended on 8 December 2024, when the regime fell, prompting the assembly to declare a new commitment to the rule of law.

The current transitional assembly, established in 2025, represents a departure from previous structures. It consists of 210 members serving 30-month renewable terms. The selection process is split: 140 members are elected via a temporary electoral college system—which involved only about 6,000 eligible voters in the 2025 parliamentary election—while 70 are directly appointed by the President. This appointment mechanism was explicitly designed to correct imbalances in representation, including the inclusion of more women and minority groups like Kurds and Christians.

In July 2026, the assembly held its inaugural session, signaling the start of its role as an interim parliament. It has since moved to secure its own authority, passing resolutions that grant members parliamentary immunity for official duties and mandate the public broadcasting of sessions. Crucially, the assembly now holds the power to ratify international agreements and constitutional amendments, and it is explicitly protected from dissolution by the President. With 26 specialized committees now in place, the body is currently focused on the legislative groundwork required for Syria's transition to a permanent constitutional republic.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• A five-year bridge between a fallen regime and an unknown future
• Syria's 2025 parliamentary elections replaced direct voting with a complex, indirect electoral college system.
• The fragile architecture of Syria's new transitional government
• How a Syrian jurist became the first post-Assad Speaker of the People's Assembly
• How Syria's administrative structure manages a nation through centralized control and local governance
• The political dynasty that rose from a 1990s crackdown
• Why Peninsular Malaysia is more than just a geographic slice of Southeast Asia
• How Spain's Conservative Powerhouse Survived Decades of Internal Crises and Corruption Scandals
• The psychological warfare of football's most pressurized 12-yard duel
• How Bulgaria Transformed From An Agrarian Peasant Society Into The Eastern Bloc's Silicon Valley
• The universal language of sports is a color-coded traffic system
• The goalkeeper who broke records and faced a literal beach ball

More in Cities · More in Countries & Cities · Latest · A–Z · All topics