Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara filled his parliamentary quota after October's elections by appointing 70 new members on Wednesday, including at least 17 women.
The appointments bring the total number of women MPs to 23, representing about 11 per cent of the 210 seats. That matches the proportion of the previous parliament, which had 28 women out of 250 members.
Among the MPs appointed by Mr Al Shara are actress Rouzaina Lazkani, survivors of chemical attacks, university professors and former detainees.
Mohammad Taha Al Ahmad, chairman of the Higher Committee for People’s Assembly Elections, said the composition of the Assembly "is intended to strengthen national representation and enrich parliamentary work through a combination of diverse expertise and professional experience".
The Syrian parliament has 140 elected members, with the remainder named by Mr Al Shara. Among those elected are six members of the country's many religious minorities and six women. The rest are mainly religious conservatives, according to observers.
Mr Al Shara's choices could shift the balance in favour of minorities, but the parliament is still expected to be mostly composed of members close to the government, one legislator told The National.
Despite elections being held in October, voting in Kurdish areas formerly held by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) was only concluded in May. The SDF withdrew from some Kurdish areas at the beginning of the year after clashes with government forces and affiliated groups.
Since leading the rebel offensive that overthrew former president Bashar Al Assad, Mr Al Shara has sought to project a moderate image to foreign powers, despite his own background as a militant. Questions have been raised over the inclusion of Syria's minorities in parliament after only a few were elected in October's poll.
The voting was regarded as a first but limited step towards democratic rule. Only about 6,000 designated people were allowed to vote.
"President Ahmed Al Sharaa’s appointments to the parliament suggest that Damascus wants a chamber that can pass laws efficiently and speak to many audiences, while avoiding internal political surprises," said Nanar Hawach, senior Syria analyst at Crisis Group.
"The list broadens the chamber’s profile, bringing in more technocrats and more women, which can improve the quality and presentation of legislation. But the overall outcome suggests that loyalty, co-ordination and institutional continuity were highly valued.
"A co-operative parliament can help a transition move quickly from decrees to laws and reduce uncertainty in government work. The downside is that difficult questions risk being filtered out before they reach the floor."
