According to Kurdpress, Ahmad al-Shara, the head of the Syrian interim government, issued a new presidential decree appointing the final third of the members of the country's interim parliament (the Transitional People's Assembly). This move comes amidst strong criticism—particularly from political forces in Syrian Kurdistan—regarding Syria's new constitution, which grants the president sweeping powers to appoint parliamentary members rather than holding direct elections; critics are simultaneously warning of a major risk associated with this approach.

As reported by Hawar News Agency, Mohammad Taha al-Ahmad, head of the Higher Election Commission, announced the names of the 70 new parliamentary members during a press conference in Damascus, stating that these individuals represent various segments of Syrian society.

In this move, Al-Sharaa has relied on prominent figures, former prisoners of the Assad regime, and certain former opposition figures to gain greater legitimacy.

The composition of the 70 new parliamentary members is as follows:

Men and women: Of the 70 members, 55 are men and 15 are women.

Former prisoners: The list includes 13 former prisoners held in Assad regime jails.

Prominent figures: Television actress Rozina Lazqani and civil activist Aisha al-Dibs are among the appointed individuals.

Victims of the Assad regime: Family members of the deceased and survivors of chemical attacks have also become members of the parliament.

Syria's interim parliament comprises a total of 210 seats. Previously, 120 members were selected through indirect voting by regional bodies, while another 70 members were appointed today via a direct decree from Ahmad al-Shara. The transitional period for Syria has been set at five years, pending the drafting of a permanent constitution.

The dissatisfaction among political forces in northern and eastern Syria regarding the formation of Damascus's new interim parliament stems from several fundamental factors that call into question the legal and national status of the Kurds.

The Democratic Union Party (PYD) and other political forces affiliated with the Autonomous Administration have stated that the Kurdish figures appointed by Ahmad al-Shara or regional committees represent only themselves and were not elected by the Kurdish people. They believe that instead of engaging with official political institutions and parties, Damascus has turned to securing the loyalty of tribal and independent figures to advance its agenda.

The Kurds also criticize the fact that the process of forming the parliament did not involve a direct public vote; instead, it was carried out by committees comprising approximately six thousand individuals who were themselves appointed by the central government in Damascus. Although an agreement had been signed last May between the Kurds and Damascus regarding the mechanism for selecting representatives, the manner in which members were designated demonstrated that Damascus acted unilaterally, thereby violating the principles of genuine participation.

Kurdish factions are concerned that this interim parliament—which will operate for five years and holds the authority to draft a new constitution—might exclude Kurdish national rights, such as federalism or the official recognition of the Kurdish language and culture, from the constitution.