Damascus, May 24 (RHC)-- The Syrian People's Assembly has begun its first meetings in Damascus for the new legislative term.  The newly-elected deputies of the Syrian parliament chose Mohammed Yihad Al-Laham as their president for the legislative process that begins today and is part of the reforms presented by the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

The results from Thursday's voting showed that Al-Laham obtained 225 votes, the majority of the 250 members of the legislative forum.  Al-Laham, elected to Parliament from the city of Damascus, is a prominent criminal lawyer and member of Baas Party, which forms the National Unity Bloc.

The People's Assembly's members were sworn in during Thursday's first meeting of the newly-elected Assembly.  Elections were conducted on May 7th, under the new Constitution and the General Elections Law in Syria, and with independent judicial supervision represented by the Higher Committee for Elections and judicial subcommittees.

A total of 250 members were elected out of 7,195 candidates from all sectors of society.  The voter turnout reached 51.26 out of a little more than five million eligible voters.  There were 30 women elected to the legislative body and 209 deputies were elected for the first time to the Syrian parliament.

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