Laith Al-jnaidi and Rania Abushamala
13 July 2026•Update: 13 July 2026
Syria’s newly formed parliament elected prominent legal scholar and academic Abdul Hamid Aqil al-Awak as speaker of the country’s first assembly since the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime in late 2024.
Al-Awak secured the post with 99 votes out of 205 ballots counted during a competitive vote. Moayad al-Qablawi finished second with 75 votes, followed by Mohammed Korj with 31 votes.
Syria's new parliament speaker was born in the Ghwayran neighborhood of Syria’s northeastern Hasakah province, where he completed his primary and secondary education.
He later graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Aleppo before starting a career in legal and administrative work that eventually led him into the judiciary.
After leaving Syria, al-Awak settled in the southeastern Turkish city of Mardin.
Since 2016, he has served as a professor at the Faculty of Political Science and International Relations at Mardin Artuklu University.
His academic work focused largely on Syria's constitutional future. He trained members of the Syrian opposition's Constitutional Committee and contributed to drafting several political and constitutional papers.
He also worked with the civil society organization Stability Support Unit on publications exploring local communities' views on Syria's future constitution and social contract.
Major role
Al-Awak emerged as a key legal figure in Damascus following Syria's recent political transition.
He was appointed chairman and spokesperson of the committee tasked with drafting the country's temporary constitutional declaration, established by the new Syrian authorities to regulate the transitional period until a permanent constitution is adopted.
In that role, he oversaw the drafting of the legal principles governing the transition, including provisions related to public freedoms and the separation of powers.
His election as parliament speaker places him at the center of Syria's legislative transition as expectations grow over the new assembly’s ability to dismantle the legal legacy of the Assad regime and activate parliamentary committees.
He is also expected to oversee debates on a new constitution while guiding the legislature through the transition from decades of one-party dominance toward political pluralism and the rule of law.
Earlier Sunday, Syria's new People's Assembly held its inaugural session in Damascus in the presence of President Ahmad al-Sharaa and senior government officials.
The session came days after Sharaa issued Decree No. 143 of 2026 naming the assembly's full membership, including one-third of members appointed by the president.
The 210-member legislature consists of 140 members elected through provincial electoral bodies and 70 presidential appointees under the country's temporary electoral system.
The formation of the new parliament marks a key stage in rebuilding Syria's state institutions following Assad’s ouster on Dec. 8, 2024, ending his rule, which lasted from 2000 to 2024.
