Syria's new parliament holds first session since ouster of ex-President Assad

DAMASCUS, Syria — Syria's newly elected parliament on Sunday held its first session since the ouster of former President Bashar Assad, hoping to restart the legislative process in the country after years of conflict and autocratic rule.

The launch of the parliament indicates Syria is moving ahead with drafting new laws as it recovers from decades of brutal rule under the Assad family and a deadly civil war that killed about half a million people.

Two-thirds of the 210-member People's Assembly were elected through electoral colleges, while one-third were appointed directly by the country's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The new parliament will serve a 30-month term while preparing for future elections.

"After liberating our homeland and regaining our freedom, we are all moving toward consolidating the state," al-Sharaa said in an address to parliamentarians.

After taking an oath, the legislators elected Abdul Hamid al-Awak as speaker. Al-Awak, who is from northeastern Hassakeh province, served as a judge in the Justice Ministry for a decade, according to Syria's state-run SANA news agency. Reports said he was among many Syrian officials who defected from the Assad government in the early days of the uprising and left to Turkey.