6th Chamber of Deputies of Syria (1954–1958)

The Sixth Chamber of Deputies () was the parliament of the Syrian Republic from 1954 to 1958. It was elected following the 1954 Syrian parliamentary election, widely regarded as one of the most democratic elections in Syria's history.

The Chamber operated during a period of restored constitutional life after the fall of Adib Shishakli and played a key role in shaping Syria's parliamentary democracy, including the approval of the union with Egypt in 1958.

The Chamber was dissolved on 22 February 1958 following the formation of the United Arab Republic between Syria and Egypt.

Background

On 24 February 1954, President Adib Shishakli resigned and fled the country amid mounting opposition. Following his departure, constitutional life was restored, and Hashim al-Atassi resumed the presidency.

The 1950 Constitution was reinstated (with some amendments), replacing the presidential system imposed in 1953. Despite ongoing political instability and regional pressures, Syria entered a renewed democratic phase.

On 15 March 1954, the parliament elected in 1949 resumed its work until new elections could be held.

Election

Parliamentary elections were held on 25 September 1954 under a revised electoral law.

The elections are considered a landmark democratic experience in Syria and the wider Arab world. They introduced the secret ballot system for the first time in the region.

The resulting chamber consisted of 144 deputies representing multiple political forces. Notably, Khalid Bakdash became the first communist elected to a parliament in the Arab world.

Bureau Position Name Party Tenure Speaker Nazim al-Qudsi Akram al-Hourani Deputy Speaker Rafiq Bashur Abd al-Samad al-Futayh Nafi' Rajab Secretary Abd al-Latif al-Yunis Adil al-KikhyaRatib al-Husami Abd al-Majid Rustum OverseerNajdat al-Najjari Hayil al-Surur Shukri Rahmu al-Shihabi Uthman Hasan Esber Shahin Mustafa ShahinAhmad Hasan Kannu Ahmad Ismail Mahmoud Habib

Elections of the Bureau 14 October 1954 The Chamber of Deputies elected its bureau on the first sitting of the first ordinary session on 14 October 1954.

1 October 1955 The Chamber of Deputies reelected its bureau on the first sitting of the third ordinary session on 1 October 1955.

14 October 1957 The Chamber of Deputies reelected its bureau on the first sitting of the seventh ordinary session on 14 October 1957.

Members

Committees 1st–2nd Ordinary Session and 1st–2nd Special The Chamber's committees were elected for the first ordinary session on 23 October 1954. Deputies were divided into three parliamentary sections to elect the committee members. Between 26 October and 2 November, these committees elected their Bureaux as shown in the table below. Following the appointment of several committee members as ministers in the newly formed al-Khoury government and the successive governments, many resigned their committee seats, and replacements were elected. Committees Burea PartyAgriculture CommitteeChair Abd al-Aziz al-Hallaj Vice-Chair Saad al-Din al-Khani Rapporteur Rashad Barmada Budget CommitteeChair Akram al-Hourani Vice-Chair Farzat al-Mamluk Rapporteur Rizqallah al-Antaki (until 10 Nov 1954) Maamun al-Kuzbari (11 Nov 1954 – 15 Mar 1955) Hani al-Sibai (from 15 Mar 1955) Constitution CommitteeChair Suhail al-Khoury Vice-Chair Muhammad Lutfi al-Hajj Hussein Rapporteur Abdul-Wahab Hawmad Education CommitteeChair Abdul-Wahab Hawmad Vice-Chair Subhi Taha Rapporteur Abd al-Karim Zuhur Addi Endowments Committee(Bureau elected on 8 Dec)Chair Hussein al-Shaabani Vice-Chair Muhammad al-Qahwaji Rapporteur Shukri Rahmu al-Shihabi Financial Laws CommitteeChair Raif al-Malqi (until 15 Mar 1955) Qadri al-Mufti (from 15 Mar 1955) Vice-Chair Hussein Maryud Rapporteur Qadri al-Mufti (until 15 Mar 1955) Rizqallah Salim (from 15 Mar 1955) Foreign Affairs CommitteeChair Ihsan al-Jabri Vice-Chair Hamid al-Khoja (until 3 April 1955) Maarouf al-Dawalibi (from 4 April 1955) Rapporteur Salah al-Din al-Bitar Health andAmbulance CommitteeChair George Shalhub Vice-Chair Subhi Taha Rapporteur Muhammad Faisal al-Rukbi Interior CommitteeChair Ahmad Qanbar Vice-Chair Abd al-Halim Qaddur Rapporteur Adil al-Kikhya Judicial CommitteeChairRashad Barmada (until 13 Dec 1954) Maamun al-Kuzbari (13 Dec 1954 – 15 Mar 1955) Rafiq Bashur (from 15 Mar 1955) Vice-Chair Mustafa al-Zarqa Rapporteur Khalil al-Kallas National Defense CommitteeChair Dikran Jerajian Vice-Chair Ghalib al-Ayyashi Rapporteur Jihad al-Hawwash National Economy CommitteeChair Maarouf al-Dawalibi Vice-Chair Salih Aqil Rapporteur Abd al-Hasib Raslan Petitions CommitteeChair Abd al-Hasib Raslan Vice-Chair Abd al-Latif al-Yunis Rapporteur Abd al-Latif al-Miqdad Public Works CommitteeChair Rashad Jabri Vice-Chair Ahmad Ismail Rapporteur Hussein al-Shaabani Tribes CommitteeChair Nuri bin Miheid Vice-Chair Mut'ib al-Shaalan Rapporteur Abd al-Rauf Abu Tawq

Additionally, a special, temporary committee tasked with revising the Chamber's rules of procedure was created during the first ordinary session. With the approval of the deputies, its members were appointed by the Speaker on 11 November 1954. The committee elected its Bureau on 5 December. Committees Burea PartyRules of Procedure CommitteeChair Maamun al-Kuzbari Vice-Chair Abdul-Wahab Hawmad Rapporteur Khalil al-Kallas

The same committees elected in the first ordinary session continued their work during the first special session. However, a new permanent committee, the Petroleum Committee, was created. Its members were elected between 30 January and 1 February 1955. Its Bureau was elected 27 April. Committees Burea PartyPetroleum CommitteeChair Muhammad al-Ayish Vice-Chair Ali Abd al-Karim al-Dandashi Rapporteur Muhammad al-Mubarak

3rd Ordinary Session The Chamber's committees were elected for the third ordinary session on 2 and 3 October 1955. On 8 and 9 October, these committees elected their Bureaux as follows: Committees Burea PartyAgriculture CommitteeChair Abd al-Aziz al-Hallaj Vice-Chair Abd al-Hadi Abbas Rapporteur Abd al-Majid Rustum Budget CommitteeChair Akram al-Hourani Vice-Chair Hani al-Sibai Rapporteur Ahmad Qanbar Constitution CommitteeChair Faydi al-Atassi Vice-Chair Sabri al-Asali Rapporteur Khalil al-Kallas Education CommitteeChair Muhammad al-Mubarak Vice-Chair Ali Abd al-Karim al-Dandashi Rapporteur Abd al-Karim Zuhur Addi Endowments CommitteeChair Mustafa al-Zarqa Vice-Chair Abd al-Rauf Abu Tawq Rapporteur Ahmad Ismail Financial Laws CommitteeChair Qadri al-Mufti (until 13 Nov 1955) Raif al-Malqi (from 14 Nov 1955) Vice-Chair Abd al-Majid Rustum Rapporteur Rizqallah Salim Foreign Affairs CommitteeChair Ihsan al-Jabri Vice-Chair Maarouf al-Dawalibi Rapporteur Salah al-Din al-Bitar Health andAmbulance Committee(Bureau elected on 11 Oct)Chair George Shalhub Vice-Chair Dikran Jerajian Rapporteur Subhi Taha Interior CommitteeChair Ahmad Qanbar Vice-Chair Abd al-Halim Qaddur Rapporteur Aziz Abbad Judicial CommitteeChair Rafiq Bashur Vice-Chair Adil al-Ajlani Rapporteur Khalil al-Kallas National Defense CommitteeChair Dikran Jerajian Vice-Chair Ghalib al-Ayyashi Rapporteur Adil al-Kikhya National Economy CommitteeChair Maarouf al-Dawalibi Vice-Chair Salih Aqil Rapporteur Abd al-Hasib Raslan (until 25 Jul 1956) Ahmad al-Hajj Yunis (from 26 Jul 1956) Petitions Committee(Bureau elected on 8 Oct)Chair Abd al-Hasib Raslan Vice-Chair Ahmad Ismail Rapporteur Abd al-Latif al-Yunis Petroleum Committee(Bureau elected on 27 Nov)Chair Muhammad al-Ayish Vice-Chair Raif al-Malqi Rapporteur Abd al-Latif al-Yunis Public Works Committee(Bureau elected on 8 Oct)Chair Majd al-Din al-Jabri Vice-Chair Rashad Jabri Rapporteur Hasan Munib al-Youssefi Tribes CommitteeChair Nuri bin Miheid Vice-Chair Mut'ib al-Shaalan Rapporteur Hayil al-Surur

7th Ordinary Session The Chamber's committees were elected for the seventh ordinary session on 20 or 21 October 1957. On 22 October, these committees elected their Bureaux as follows: Committees Burea PartyAgriculture CommitteeChair Hussein al-Shaabani Vice-Chair Abd al-Latif al-Miqdad Rapporteur Abd al-Majid Rustum Budget CommitteeChair Riyad al-Malki Vice-Chair Muhammad Khayr al-Hariri Rapporteur Rizqallah al-Antaki Constitution CommitteeChair Suhail al-Khoury Vice-Chair Adil al-Ajlani Rapporteur Abd al-Halim Qaddur Education CommitteeChair Muhammad al-Mubarak Vice-Chair Ratib al-Husami Rapporteur Abd al-Karim Zuhur Addi Endowments CommitteeChair Raif al-Malqi Vice-Chair Abd al-Rauf Abu Tawq Rapporteur Mazhar ash-Sharbaji Financial Laws CommitteeChair Raif al-Malqi Vice-Chair Hussein Maryud Rapporteur Rizqallah Salim Foreign Affairs CommitteeChair Ihsan al-Jabri Vice-Chair Abd al-Karim Zuhur Addi Rapporteur Abdul-Wahab Hawmad Health andAmbulance CommitteeChair George Shalhub Vice-Chair Dikran Jerajian Rapporteur Subhi Taha Interior CommitteeChair Rashad Barmada Vice-Chair Muhammad Youssef Abu Rumiyya Rapporteur Abd al-Halim Qaddur Inspection andAccounts CommitteeChair Qadri al-Mufti Vice-Chair Abd al-Hamid al-Dweidari Rapporteur Kamal Kalalib Judicial CommitteeChair Rafiq Bashur Vice-Chair Adil al-Ajlani Rapporteur Mazhar ash-Sharbaji National Defense CommitteeChair Dikran Jerajian Vice-Chair Sayyah Aamer Rapporteur Ahmad al-Hajj Yunis National Economy CommitteeChair Maarouf al-Dawalibi Vice-Chair Sayyah Abu Asali Rapporteur Ahmad al-Hajj Yunis Petitions CommitteeChair Adil al-Kikhya Vice-Chair Sayyah Aamer Rapporteur Abd al-Latif al-Yunis Petroleum CommitteeChair Maarouf al-Dawalibi Vice-Chair Riyad al-Malki Rapporteur Ahmad Ismail Public Works andTransportation CommitteeChair Ahmad Ismail Vice-Chair Hasan Munib al-Youssefi Rapporteur Shahin Mustafa Shahin Social Affairsand Labour CommitteeChair Ali Bozo Vice-Chair Mansur al-Atrash Rapporteur Ratib al-Husami Tribes CommitteeChair Tamer al-Mulhim Vice-Chair Diab al-Mashi Rapporteur Hasan Abd al-Karim

References