Syria delays first session of transitional parliament

Syrian authorities have postponed the first session of the country's new transitional parliament, delaying a key step in the post-Assad political transition. State television said the opening meeting of the people's assembly had been moved to a later date, after it had previously been announced for Monday. No reason was given for the delay.

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The postponement comes as the new legislature is meant to begin work on a 30-month term focused on drafting a new elections law and preparing the ground for a popular vote. The parliament is part of the political framework established after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, when Syria's new authorities dissolved the former legislature. In March 2025, President Ahmed al-Sharaa signed a temporary constitution that is due to remain in force during a five-year transitional period.

Selection of the 210-member body began in October, when local committees appointed by the electoral commission started choosing two-thirds of the seats. Mr al-Sharaa is to appoint the remaining third. According to the head of the electoral committee, Mohammed Taha al-Ahmad, the new parliament will work on electoral legislation before a public vote can be organised.

The process has not yet been completed in Druze-majority Suwayda province in the south, where members have still not been designated. Authorities have said the selection in Suwayda will take place when conditions are considered appropriate. The province was affected by sectarian bloodshed last year, which has left its representation unresolved.

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Selection was also carried out earlier this year in areas previously run by Kurdish authorities in the north and northeast, after Damascus assumed control there and signed a deal on integrating Kurdish institutions into the state. The delay in convening the parliament therefore affects a body already operating within a fragile and incomplete transition. The new assembly is intended to replace the former rubber-stamp legislature and give the transitional authorities a mechanism for shaping Syria's next electoral rules.

Its work is being watched closely because the timetable for political reform remains tied to the broader post-war settlement. The delay does not appear to have been explained publicly, leaving uncertainty over whether it reflects administrative, political or security considerations. It also leaves open the question of when the remaining seats, including those in Suwayda, will be filled and when the parliament will finally meet.

What happens next will depend on whether officials announce a new date for the inaugural session and whether the outstanding selection process in Suwayda is completed. It is also unclear how quickly the assembly can begin drafting the elections law once it convenes. For now, the postponement adds another layer of uncertainty to Syria's transition and to the timeline for any future popular vote.

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