Syria's new parliament held its first session on July 12 with 206 members present, 19 months after rebels led by Ahmed al-Sharaa ousted Bashar al-Assad. Two-thirds of the 210 seats were filled through regional electoral colleges and the remainder appointed by Sharaa, who addressed the body under a temporary constitutional declaration introduced in 2025. Sharaa called on the chamber to serve as a model of responsibility and a platform for truth and justice.