Syria's newly formed parliament has elected Abdul Hamid Aqil al-Awak its speaker in its inaugural session, the first since the ouster of the Assad regime in December 2024, marking the start of a new phase of institutional and constitutional governance in the country.
Al-Awak received 99 votes out of 205 ballots counted, defeating Moayad al-Qablawi, who got 75 votes, and Mohammed Korj, who secured 31.
One blank ballot was invalidated, according to Anadolu.
A native of the northeastern province of Hasakah, al-Awak previously served in both the judiciary and academia before chairing the committee that drafted Syria's temporary constitutional declaration following the country's recent political transition.
Born in 1966, al-Awak built his legal career from the ground up, earning a bachelor's degree in law from the University of Aleppo in 1990, followed by a diploma in public law, a master's degree in administrative law from the Islamic University in Lebanon in 2009, and a PhD in constitutional law from Beirut Arab University, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
His professional career spans the judiciary, academia, and public administration. He served as a judge with the rank of consultant at the Syrian Ministry of Justice for ten years and worked as director of legal affairs at the Tigris and Khabur Basin Directorate between 1993 and 1998.
On the academic front, al-Awak has served as an assistant professor at Mardin Artuklu University since 2016 and as a lecturer at the Faculty of Law at al-Furat University.
His election as Speaker marks a significant moment in Syria's political transition, with his constitutional law expertise seen as a key asset as the country works to rebuild its legal and institutional foundations.
Earlier Sunday, the parliament convened its first session in Damascus, one week after the initially scheduled opening was postponed.
Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa called for “a new chapter in the country’s history" as the newly elected parliament held its first session.
He urged lawmakers to make the parliament "a model of responsibility and competence" while promoting dialogue, the rule of law, and respect for state institutions.
Syria announced the names of 70 lawmakers on July 1, appointed to the parliament by President al Sharaa, paving the way to convene.
The 210-member People’s Assembly, two-thirds of which were chosen by regional electoral colleges last year following a presidential decree announcing the final composition of the assembly, including the appointed one-third of members.
