Damascus, July 30 (SANA) The Syrian People’s Assembly ratified its new Internal Rules of Procedure in their final form at the conclusion of the second session of the First Extraordinary Session of the First Legislative Term.
The new Internal Rules of Procedure comprise 231 articles and were adopted by a majority vote following five consecutive days of extensive deliberations.
The sessions featured detailed discussions of the draft rules, accompanied by interventions and proposals from members of the Assembly. Several articles were amended while others were approved, contributing to the formulation of the final text before it was put to a vote.
Bishara: Rules Define the Assembly’s Powers and Regulate Its Work
Deputy Speaker Madonna Bishara said the adoption of the Internal Rules of Procedure represents the first step toward establishing the institutional framework governing the Assembly’s work, procedures and mechanisms.
She explained that future legislative activity would be governed by the new rules, particularly with regard to members’ privileges and responsibilities, as well as the procedures through which the Assembly exercises its constitutional responsibilities.
Bishara noted that the new Internal Rules clearly define the Assembly’s powers and responsibilities, describing the coming period as a “legislative revolution,” given the scale of the Assembly’s responsibilities and the anticipated legislative agenda aimed at modernizing the Syrian state institutions.
She added that lawmakers examined every article in detail, deleting some provisions and adding others before referring the draft back to the drafting committee for final legal refinement ahead of its approval.
She also announced the establishment of several standing specialized committees tasked with reviewing draft legislation, preparing assessments and recommendations, and submitting them to the Assembly for approval in accordance with legal procedures.
Habib: Broad Debate and Active Participation
Secretary of the People’s Assembly Mueyed Habib said the next stage would witness the formation of specialized committees covering a range of legislative files to ensure sound lawmaking and improve parliamentary organization.
Habib said the discussions represented the broadest parliamentary debate witnessed under the Assembly dome in decades, with all members contributing views and proposals. Some articles generated more than 50 interventions.
He explained that drafting the Rules began immediately after the election of the Assembly’s Bureau, when a 17-member committee comprising legal experts and lawmakers was established to prepare the initial draft.
Al-Afyouni: Adoption Marks Launch of Legislative Work
Hisham al-Afyouni, Secretary of the Rules Drafting Committee, said the adoption of the Internal Rules of Procedure—the first legislation approved by the Assembly following what he described as the victory of the Syrian revolution—marks a significant milestone and the effective commencement of the legislative process.
He explained that the drafting committee was formed by decision of the Assembly Bureau to prepare a new set of Rules consistent with the Constitutional Declaration and the requirements of the current phase, while regulating the procedures governing the discussion and adoption of draft legislation.
The People’s Assembly began debating the draft Rules of Procedure on July 26, after the drafting committee completed the initial draft and its legal review.
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