Holding the first session of Syria’s parliament, the People’s Assembly, on the timeline set by Ahmed al-Sharaa in Antalya will require faster efforts to select representatives from Hasaka, as the Supreme Elections Committee moves to resolve key issues delaying the launch.
Al-Sharaa said at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum last Friday that parliament would convene by the end of April. The new Assembly, he said, will set the course for the post-five-year transitional phase, led by drafting a constitution to define laws, state institutions, presidential powers, and the system of governance, all subject to a vote.
The president’s office is expected to name his appointees, who will fill one-third of the seats, after ratifying Hasaka’s election results, completing the quorum ahead of the first session.
Hasaka tests timeline
Al-Sharaa’s remarks point to progress on stalled issues, especially in Hasaka, but they have also raised doubts over whether elections there can be completed in time.
Analysts say the province’s ethnic, sectarian, and social diversity demands a cautious approach to a process carrying political weight. That includes how representatives are chosen, and how subcommittees and electoral bodies are formed.
Researcher Samer al-Ahmad, affiliated with the Middle East Institute, said Hasaka’s mix of Kurdish and Assyrian parties, tribal structures, revolutionary groups, and the Autonomous Administration adds complexity.
This diversity, he said, makes the elections highly sensitive, requiring Damascus to balance competing interests and limit external interference.
The vote falls under the January 29 understandings with the Syrian Democratic Forces, which may seek a dedicated share similar to the president’s quota or obstruct the process, as seen in the recent refusal to hand over the offices and the Justice Palace in Qamishli.
Hasaka Governor Nour al-Din Ahmad met a delegation from the elections committee on Saturday as preparations gathered pace.
Committee member Mohammed Wali said the process could take 15 to 21 days.
“The committee has begun preparations to resume the process based on Hasaka’s allocated seats, forming the electoral body and engaging official and social actors to ensure representation of all Syrian components in the first parliament after liberation,” he said.
Wali said the earlier delay was aimed at securing a suitable environment under state sovereignty and ensuring representation for Hasaka as part of Syria.
He added that the process effectively began with the committee’s recent visit, meetings with the governor and a presidential envoy, and steps to implement the December 29 agreement, including logistical preparations and initial lists for subcommittees.
May more likely
Syrian government sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that holding the first session within the announced timeframe will be difficult, warning of disputes similar to those seen in Raqqa’s elections.
They said authorities are unlikely to stick rigidly to the date and may allow more time, pointing to the end of the first week of May as a more likely date.
The sources said recent presidential remarks reflect a push to activate the legislative authority, given pending files requiring approval, including internal laws, the constitution, transitional justice and foreign agreements.
They stressed the need for representation from the eastern region through elections mirroring other provinces to ensure the Assembly’s legitimacy.
Raqqa, previously under SDF control, has already held elections, producing four members, with two more from Tal Abyad completing the province’s representation.
Sweida and the presidential quota
Hasaka’s file also brings attention to Sweida and the president’s one-third share, seen as key to maintaining political and social balance.
Ahmed Qarbi, director of the Syrian Dialogue Center for Studies, said a solution in Sweida remains distant as the Hijri group continues to press separatist demands, complicating efforts to hold elections there.
He said the government may compensate for Sweida’s three seats through the president’s quota of 70, under Article 24 of the constitutional declaration, to ensure fair representation, including ethnic, sectarian and gender balance, likely securing Druze representation.
Qarbi said this would not be a quota system, but a way to fill gaps, ensure broad representation and account for expertise.
“It is not possible to suspend a state parliament with 207 out of 210 members present,” he said, adding that Druze representation could be covered through figures from areas such as Jaramana and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, as well as influential figures from Sweida who oppose separation.
Pressure to convene
Beyond its legislative role, the Assembly’s launch carries political weight.
Newly elected member Abdulaziz Maghribi said its convening is critical at home and abroad.
“For the first time in decades, after the Assembly’s role was sidelined under Assad family rule, Syrians are waiting for it to convene and exercise oversight, improve institutional performance through proposing, passing and amending laws, and approve the state budget,” he said.
The president’s office is expected to finalize its appointees after Hasaka’s results are ratified, completing the quorum ahead of the first session.
Parliamentary elections began in October under an exceptional electoral system based on electoral colleges, which selected two-thirds of the 210-member Assembly.
