According to reports by Reuters and Al-Monitor, the Syrian government has finalized the composition of the 210-member transitional parliament—scheduled to hold its inaugural session next week—by announcing a list of 70 members appointed by President Ahmad al-Sharaa. While the appointment of women and representatives from ethnic and religious minorities has been presented as an effort to enhance political diversity, the complete exclusion of figures aligned with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and persistent criticism regarding the concentration of power within the presidency continue to cast a shadow over the legitimacy of the process.

More than eight months after the process of forming Syria's transitional parliament began, the government released the names of 70 representatives appointed by Ahmad al-Shara' on Wednesday, thereby completing the 210-member "People's Assembly." According to Mohammad Taha al-Ahmad, head of the Supreme Judicial Committee for Parliamentary Elections, the parliament's inaugural session is scheduled for next Monday.

The parliament begins its work under a new political system—based on an interim constitution—that features a presidential-centric structure, wherein the assembly's powers are limited compared to those found in parliamentary systems. The government does not require a vote of confidence from the assembly to continue its operations; however, the parliament retains the authority to review and pass legislation. It is also mandated to draft a new electoral law within a 30-month period, paving the way for the first general election following the transitional phase.

Efforts to Demonstrate Greater Diversity

Ahmad al-Sharaa had previously pledged to utilize the president's appointment quota to address shortcomings from last year's indirect elections. The 70 appointees include 15 women, raising the total number of women in parliament from six to 21—a move observers view as a response to domestic and international criticism regarding the limited representation of women in Syria's new political structure.

Several figures from ethnic and religious minorities are also among the appointees, including Abdulhakim Bashar of the Kurdish National Council of Syria (ENKS), Laith al-Balous from the Druze community, Assyrian-Christian activist Gabriel Moshe Gawrieh, Lara Qaddis—an Armenian-origin lawyer from Aleppo—and Rozina Lazqani, a well-known Syrian television actress. With the appointment of two Alawite representatives, the number of representatives from that community has risen to five.

However, the selection of representatives for As-Suwayda province has been postponed due to the ongoing security situation there. Since last summer—following bloody clashes between government forces and armed Druze groups—the region has remained outside Damascus's full control.

Criticism Regarding the Concentration of Power

Although the Syrian government describes the formation of the parliament as a step toward political transition and enhanced national participation, critics argue that the mechanism for selecting representatives still allows the presidency to retain significant influence.

Two-thirds of the parliament's members were selected last year through regional electoral committees—bodies that operated under the supervision of a committee appointed by the president. The government has attributed this method to conditions resulting from over a decade of war, the displacement of millions of citizens, and the lack of accurate demographic data; however, political activists and human rights organizations have warned that this mechanism could undermine parliamentary independence and political pluralism.

The United Nations had previously expressed concern over the protracted process of forming the parliament, identifying it as a factor contributing to increased uncertainty regarding Syria's political transition.

Kurds aligned with the SDF remain outside the power structure.

While the government has sought to increase the representation of certain minorities in parliament, the new composition features a notable absence: no figures aligned with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are among the 70 appointed members.

Analysts view this as a sign of the continued erosion of the political influence of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria within the new power structure. The only prominent Kurdish representative appointed is Abdulhakim Bashar of the Kurdish National Council—a faction considered a political rival to the Autonomous Administration and the SDF.

The appointee, Abdulhakim Bashar, hails from the Kurdish National Council of Syria—a faction considered a political rival to the Autonomous Administration and the SDF.

The sidelining of representatives aligned with the SDF comes at a time when these forces have lost significant territory following major clashes with the Syrian army in January, and the withdrawal of U.S. troops from northeastern Syria has further weakened their position. Although a process of gradually integrating SDF forces into the Syrian army began following a U.S.-brokered ceasefire—with some SDF commanders assuming roles within Damascus's military structure—this process has not yet resulted in their effective participation in political institutions.