The Third Chamber of Deputies () was the third parliament of the Syrian Republic. It was elected following the 1943 parliamentary election, which marked the restoration of constitutional life under the French Mandate.
The Chamber held its first meeting on 17 August 1943. During the meeting, the chamber elected a speaker and its leadership, and elected Shukri al-Quwatli as president. Shortly thereafter, al-Quwatli appointed Saadallah al-Jabiri to form a government dominated by the National Bloc.
The chamber played a decisive role in Syria's transition to independence, including the abolition of constitutional provisions recognizing the French Mandate.
Background
The elections of 1943 followed a period of political instability and the suspension of constitutional life after 1939. In March 1943, the French authorities appointed a transitional government under Ata al-Ayyubi to oversee new elections and restore parliamentary governance under the 1930 Constitution.
Parliamentary elections were held in July 1943, with results announced on 7 August 1943. The National Bloc achieved a decisive victory.
Bureau + Position Name Party Tenure Speaker Fares al-Khoury Saadallah al-Jabiri Deputy Speaker Said al-Ghazzi Muhammad al-Ayish Najib al-Barazi Secretary Sabri al-Asali Muhammad Suleiman al-Ahmad Akram al-Hourani Joseph Ilyan Najib al-Barazi Hamid al-Khoja Overseer Ali al-Hayyani Said Ishaq Ahmad al-Sharabati Fakhri al-Baroudi Farid Marhaj Abd al-Qadir Rahmu
Elections of the Burea 19 October 1943 The Chamber of Deputies reelected its bureau on the first sitting of the 1st ordinary session on 19 October 1943.
22 October 1946 The Chamber of Deputies reelected its Bureau at the first sitting of its seventh ordinary session, on 22 October 1946, with 72 deputies present. Fares al-Khoury was elected speaker with 61 votes, against 8 blank ballots. Muhammad al-Ayish and Said al-Ghazzi were elected deputy speakers, with 55 and 53 votes respectively. Hamid al-Khoja and Muhammad Suleiman al-Ahmad were elected secretaries, with 43 and 28 votes respectively. Farid Marhaj, Abd al-Qadir Rahmu, and Fakhri al-Baroudi were elected overseers, with 52, 51, and 40 votes respectively.
Members
Committees 1st Ordinary and 1st Special Session The Chamber's committees were elected for the first special session in August 1943. Deputies were divided into three parliamentary sections to elect the committee members. The same committees were renewed for the first ordinary session on 16 October. On 26 October, these committees elected their Bureaux as follows: Committees Burea PartyBudget CommitteeChairSaid al-GhazziVice-ChairHikmat al-HirakiRapporteurNazim al-QudsiConstitution CommitteeChairVice-ChairRapporteurEducation CommitteeChairAbd al-Hamid al-TabbaVice-ChairIlyas UbaydRapporteurMuhammad Suleiman al-AhmadFinancial Laws CommitteeChairWadi Sa'adaVice-ChairAhmad Khalil al-MudarrisRapporteurAdnan al-AtassiForeign Affairs CommitteeChairAdnan al-AtassiVice-ChairAhmad al-SharabatiRapporteurNazim al-QudsiInterior CommitteeChairNasib al-BakriVice-ChairHikmat al-HirakiRapporteurAfif al-SulhJudicial CommitteeChairLatif GhanimaVice-ChairSabri al-AsaliRapporteurHani al-SibaiNational Defense CommitteeChairHasan al-AtrashVice-ChairAli al-ZawbaRapporteurFakhri al-BaroudiNational Economy CommitteeChairNajib al-BaraziVice-Chair Wahbi al-HaririRapporteur Ahmad al-SharabatiPetitions CommitteeChairUqla al-QutamiVice-ChairHikmat al-HakimRapporteurRaif al-Malqi
7th Ordinary Session The Chamber's committees were reelected for the seventh ordinary session on 23 October 1946. On 24 October, these committees elected their Bureaux as follows: Committees Burea PartyBudget CommitteeChairSaid al-GhazziVice-ChairHikmat al-HirakiRapporteurHani al-SibaiConstitution CommitteeChairAbd al-Rahman al-KayyaliVice-ChairMunir al-AbbasRapporteurHani al-SibaiEducation CommitteeChairNasuhi al-BukhariVice-ChairIlyas UbaydRapporteurAhmad AwdaEndowments Committee(Bureau elected on 11 December 1946)ChairAbd al-Hamid al-TabbaVice-ChairAbd al-Rahman al-KayyaliRapporteurHikmat al-HakimFinancial Laws CommitteeChairAdnan al-AtassiVice-ChairWadi SaadehRapporteurFathallah Asyun Foreign Affairs CommitteeChairNa'im al-AntakiVice-ChairRushdi al-KikhyaRapporteurAdnan al-AtassiInterior CommitteeChairNasib al-BakriVice-ChairHikmat al-HirakiRapporteurHamid al-KhojaJudicial CommitteeChairHani al-SibaiVice-ChairSaid al-GhazziRapporteurAkram al-Hourani National Defense CommitteeChairNasuhi al-BukhariVice-ChairFakhri al-BaroudiRapporteurJamal Ali AdibNational Economy CommitteeChairAbd al-Hamid al-TabbaVice-ChairAhmad Khalil al-MudarrisRapporteurGeorge SahnawiPetitions CommitteeChairFakhri al-BaroudiVice-ChairAhmad AwdaRapporteurMuhammad Suleiman al-Ahmad
Major legislations Abolishing article 116 of the constitution on 21 August 1943. The article had recognized the French Mandate and given it precedence over the Constitution Law on religious courts, issued on 31 January 1945 Law nationalizing the Hejaz Railway as a public institution, issued on 28 February 1945 Law approving the Charter of the Arab League, issued on 3 April 1945 Adoption of the national anthem Ḥumāt ad-Diyār in 1945 Labor Law, issued on 11 June 1946. Law mandating the minting of coins exclusively in silver, issued in 1947. Law on the Hejaz Railway System, issued on 12 May 1947. Law no. 325 amending the Syrian Parliamentary Elections Law, issued on 21 May 1947. New Article 46 stipulated that elections shall be free, direct, and held in a single round.
May 1945 crisis
On 29 May 1945, as part of the larger Levant Crisis, French forces attacked the parliament building in Damascus after Syrian guards refused to salute the French flag. The assault resulted in the killing of members of the parliamentary guard and the destruction of parts of the building. The attack triggered widespread unrest, including demonstrations and armed clashes, and intensified international pressure on France to end its mandate.
Amid escalating tensions, the Syrian government rejected French demands for military privileges and appealed to the international community.
In 1945, Syrian representatives participated in the San Francisco Conference and signed the Charter of the United Nations. Following continued pressure and a United Nations resolution, French and British forces agreed to withdraw. The evacuation was completed on 17 April 1946, marking full Syrian independence.
Legacy
The Third Chamber of Deputies was instrumental in ending the French Mandate and establishing Syria as an independent state. Its legislative actions, diplomatic initiatives, and resistance to foreign control made it one of the most significant parliamentary terms in Syrian history.
This was the first Syrian parliament to serve its full term with no interruptions. It would be an achievement not repeated again in Syria until the 1st People's Assembly elected in 1973.
References