Syria: Syria's new parliament elects Abdul Hamid al-Awak speaker.

SHOTLIST: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (JUL. 12, 2026) 1. VARIOUS OF PARLIAMENT MEMBERS ATTENDING INAUGURAL SESSION 2. VARIOUS OF PARLIAMENT MEMBERS CASTING THEIR VOTES 3. VARIOUS OF OFFICIALS COUNTING BALLOTS 4. VARIOUS OF PARLIAMENT MEMBERS FOLLOWING BALLOT COUNT DAMASCUS, SYRIA - JUL. 12: Syria's newly formed parliament on Sunday elected Abdul Hamid Aqil al-Awak its speaker in its inaugural session, the first since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, marking the start of a new phase of institutional and constitutional governance in the country. Al-Awak won 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 an Anadolu correspondent. 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. Earlier Sunday, the parliament convened its first session in Damascus, one week after the initially scheduled opening was postponed.