2nd Chamber of Deputies of Syria

2nd Chamber of Deputies
← 1st 3rd →
Overview
Legislative body	Chamber of Deputies
Jurisdiction	Syria
Meeting place	Chamber of Deputies Building, Damascus
Term	21 December 1936 – 8 July 1939 (1936-12-21 – 1939-07-08)
Election	1936 1937 (Latakia and Jabal Druze Governorates)
Government	Mardam Bey I (until 23 February 1936 (1936-02-23)) al-Haffar (23 February – 5 April 1939 (1939-02-23 – 1939-04-05)) al-Bukhari (5 April – 15 May 1939 (1939-05-15))
Members	106
Speaker	Fares al-Khoury (National Bloc)
Sessions
1st 21–31 December 1936 (1936-12-21 – 1936-12-31) 2nd 17 April – 31 May 1937 (1937-04-17 – 1937-05-31) 3rd 19 October – 31 December 1937 (1937-10-19 – 1937-12-31) 4th 19 October – 31 December 1937 (1937-10-19 – 1937-12-31) 5th 19 November – 31 December 1938 (1938-11-19 – 1938-12-31) 6th 21 March – 31 May 1939 (1939-03-21 – 1939-05-31)
Special sessions
1st 3–10 January 1938 (1938-01-03 – 1938-01-10) 2nd 3–17 January 1939 (1939-01-03 – 1939-01-17)

The Second Chamber of Deputies (Arabic: مجلس النواب للدور الاشتراعي الثاني, romanized: Majlis al-Nuwwāb lil-dawr al-ishtirāʻī al-thānī) was the second parliament of the Syrian Republic. It was composed following the 1936 parliamentary election. The 1937 parliamentary election took place in Latakia and Suwayda after the Alawite State and Jabal Druze State rejoined Syria.

The chamber convened on 21 December 1936 and was dissolved by the French High Commissioner on 8 July 1939. It was dominated by the National Bloc and independent politicians. It played a central role in the ratification of the 1936 Franco-Syrian Treaty with France.

During its first session, the chamber elected its leadership, accepted the resignation of President Muhammad Ali al-Abid, elected Hashim al-Atassi as President, and oversaw the formation of a government headed by Jamil Mardam Bey.

Background

The elections of 1936 followed a period of sustained nationalist unrest, including a 60-day general strike in Damascus and other Syrian cities. These events led to negotiations between Syrian nationalist leaders, headed by Hashim al-Atassi, and the French High Commissioner.

An agreement was reached in March 1936 recognizing Syrian unity and promising independence, to be formalized in a treaty negotiated in Paris by a Syrian delegation including al-Atassi, Fares al-Khoury, Jamil Mardam Bey, and Saadallah al-Jabiri.

Following the delegation's return, parliamentary elections were held in December 1936 to ratify the treaty and establish a new government.

Bureau

Position	Name	Party		Tenure
Speaker	Fares al-Khoury		National Bloc	21 December 1936 – 8 July 1939 (1936-12-21 – 1939-07-08)
Deputy Speaker	Muhammad Nuri al-Futayh		National Bloc	21 December 1936 – 8 July 1939 (1936-12-21 – 1939-07-08)
	Lutfi al-Haffar		National Bloc	21 December 1936 – 8 July 1939 (1936-12-21 – 1939-07-08)
	Shukri al-Quwatli		National Bloc	19 November 1938 – 8 July 1939 (1938-11-19 – 1939-07-08)
Secretary	Tawfiq al-Shishakli			21 December 1936 – 8 July 1939 (1936-12-21 – 1939-07-08)
	Nazim al-Qudsi		National Bloc	21 December 1936 – 8 July 1939 (1936-12-21 – 1939-07-08)
Overseer	Fakhri al-Baroudi		National Bloc	21 December 1936 – 8 July 1939 (1936-12-21 – 1939-07-08)
	Jamil Ibrahim Pasha		National Bloc	21 December 1936 – 8 July 1939 (1936-12-21 – 1939-07-08)
	George Sahnawi			21 December 1936 – 8 July 1939 (1936-12-21 – 1939-07-08)

Members

Main article: List of members of the Chamber of Deputies (Syria), 1936–1939

Major legislations and actions

The parliament undertook several significant legislative and political actions:

• General amnesty allowing the return of political exiles, including Sultan al-Atrash and Abd al-Rahman Shahbandar
• Reintegration of regions such as Suwayda Governorate and the coastal territories (today's Latakia and Tartus Governorates into the Syrian state on 9 September and 3 December 1936 respectively
• Ratification of the Franco-Syrian Treaty of Independence on 22 December 1936, which was subsequently promulgated into law
• Retirement law, adopted on 1 June 1937
• Supreme Economic Council law, adopted on 18 May 1938

Crisis over Alexandretta

The status of the Sanjak of Alexandretta became a central political issue. Despite indications that the majority of the population favored remaining part of Syria, Turkey pressed territorial claims.

France ultimately ceded the territory to Turkey in 1939, leading to widespread protests in Syria and strong opposition within parliament.

Dissolution

On 7 July 1939, President Hashim al-Atassi resigned in protest against French policies, particularly regarding Alexandretta.

On 8 July 1939, the French High Commissioner suspended the constitution, removed the president, and dissolved parliament indefinitely. This marked the beginning of a period of direct French rule, often referred to as the "High Commissioner period".

The dissolution of parliament effectively ended constitutional life in Syria. Shortly thereafter France and Turkey signed a border agreement on 21 July 1939, World War II began in September 1939, and political life in Syria was severely restricted