Rights advocate: Syria’s parliament legitimacy depends on independence

As the date approaches for the first session of the Syrian Parliament (Syrian People’s Assembly) scheduled for June 8, attention is turning to the role this institution will play in the current stage, amid ongoing debate over the mechanism of its formation. This comes particularly as interim government president Ahmad al-Sharaa has not yet announced the names of the members he will appoint under his allocated quota.

In this context, Syrian lawyer and rights advocate Mais Al-Rim spoke to ANHA agency, stating that evaluating the new parliament should not be limited to how it is formed, but should also include its ability to exercise its legislative and oversight powers independently and effectively in the coming phase.

Al-Rim said that, in democratic systems, parliaments derive their legitimacy from free and direct general elections as the clearest expression of popular will. She noted that the absence of this process, and the reliance on electoral bodies alongside the appointment of a portion of members by the interim prime minister, raises questions about the level of representational legitimacy of the new legislative body.

She explained that the parliament, in theory, is expected to play a key role in discussing legislation, passing laws, and monitoring and holding the executive authority accountable. However, the effectiveness of these powers depends on the degree of independence of its members and the way they are selected.

She added that the “electoral bodies” mechanism used in forming the parliament—if those bodies are not directly elected by citizens—makes the process closer to an indirect electoral model. Meanwhile, granting the interim prime minister the authority to appoint one-third of the members makes a significant portion of the parliament closer to appointment than election.

Al-Rim believes this arrangement could affect the future relationship between the legislative and executive branches, as the parliament may find itself with limited room to exercise its oversight role, especially if it includes a large bloc of members directly or indirectly linked to the executive authority.

On the parliament’s work, she expected that in its early phase it would focus on passing laws related to managing the “transitional phase,” organizing state institutions, and discussing proposals submitted by the government, rather than developing independent legislative initiatives originating within the parliament itself.

She added that practical experience will determine whether the parliament will become an active body in shaping public policy and overseeing government performance, or whether it will remain limited to approving draft laws prepared in advance by the executive authority.

On the representation of Syria’s communities, Al-Rim stressed that any legislative body that does not reflect the country’s ethnic, religious, and social diversity in a balanced way will face challenges regarding political acceptance and societal legitimacy. She noted that objections raised about the representation of certain groups, including Kurds, Christians, Druze, and others, highlight the importance of building a legislative institution that all Syrians feel represents them fairly.

She said that the authorities may justify the current model as a transitional measure imposed by exceptional circumstances and the need for state institutions to continue functioning. However, this justification does not eliminate concerns about reduced direct political participation by citizens in choosing their representatives.

Al-Rim warned that the parliament will face a real test from its first sessions regarding its ability to prove its independence and convince Syrians of its capacity to represent their various interests. She noted that any perception among communities or large segments of society that they are not fairly represented could open the door to long-term political debate over the legitimacy of the institution and its role in shaping the country’s future.

She concluded that the success of the parliament will not be measured only by the number of laws it passes, but by its ability to become a unifying political platform that exercises oversight over the executive authority and actively participates in managing the transitional phase, thereby strengthening trust in state institutions and laying the groundwork for a more inclusive and stable political process.

The interim government in Syria is preparing to hold the first session of its parliament (the Syrian People’s Assembly) on June 8, according to multiple sources, after completing the selection of members representing Hasakah province.

The People’s Assembly is the legislative authority in the country and consists of 210 members. Of these, 140 were selected through electoral bodies formed in the provinces under an indirect electoral system, while 70 members are appointed by decision of interim government president Ahmad al-Sharaa.

The interim government has distributed the 210 parliamentary seats among the provinces: Aleppo received 32 seats, Damascus 10, Rural Damascus 12, Homs, Hama, and Idlib 12 each, while Deir ez-Zor and Hasakah were allocated 10 seats each, Raqqa 6 seats, in addition to varying shares for other provinces.

ANHA