Today, Sunday, Damascus witnessed the start of the opening session of the new Syrian People’s Assembly, in the presence of President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, who delivered a speech in which he stressed the importance of consolidating the state of institutions and the rule of law, while the members of the Council took the constitutional oath, and the procedures for electing the Presidency of the Council began.
Al-Sharaa said that humanity “is still searching, since its inception, for the best way to manage its interests. Acceptance and satisfaction are a means to expel disagreement,” considering that Syria is “today writing a new history that expresses its civilization, values, and heritage,” and that the current stage imposes on everyone the responsibility of building the nation and the human being, and giving priority to the public interest.
He stressed that consultation and exchange of opinions represent the best way to reach a rational decision, and that diversity of opinions contributes to achieving consensus and reducing division and disagreement, pointing out that opinion is not infallible, and that its success is linked to good faith, avoiding whims, and giving priority to the public interest.
Al-Sharaa explained that Syria is witnessing a transitional phase from liberating the nation and restoring freedom to consolidating state institutions on the foundations of responsibility and efficiency, ensuring the preservation of dignity and respect for the will of citizens, stressing that rebuilding the economy, improving services, creating an investment environment, providing job opportunities, and increasing production, represent a shared national responsibility among the various state institutions.
He added that the People’s Assembly plays a pivotal role during this stage by enacting legislation that keeps pace with the reconstruction process and meets the aspirations of the Syrians, calling on the members of the Assembly to make the legislative institution a model of responsibility and efficiency, and to contribute to consolidating the culture of dialogue, the rule of law, and respect for institutions, stressing that they are partners in building the new Syria.
For his part, the Chairman of the Supreme Committee for People’s Assembly Elections, Muhammad Taha Al-Ahmad, described the holding of the session as a “defining historical moment,” considering that it represents “the blood of the martyrs,” and sends a message to the world that “Syria has shaken off the dust of war,” adding that what has been achieved is not measured by words, but rather by the size of the sacrifices made by the Syrian people.
The first session of the Council comes after the completion of its formation, following the issuance by President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, on July 1 of this month, of a decree naming the names of its 207 members out of 210, including 137 members who were chosen through indirect elections, and 70 members appointed by the president in accordance with the powers stipulated in the Constitutional Declaration, while the three seats allocated to the Suwayda Governorate remained vacant, due to the impossibility of holding elections there.
The new People’s Assembly enjoys broad legislative powers, most notably the formation of a committee to prepare the draft of the new constitution, in a step that is considered one of the most prominent stages of the transitional phase in Syria.
