Turkey’s Growing Power in Syria

02/07/2026

By Adnan Challma Kulhan | Director of online Platform Turabdin

Seven Turkmen, ten Kurds and one Syriac-Assyrian have been appointed to Syrian parliament. No elections have been held, but Syriacs-Assyrians seem the most satisfied of all.

On 1 July, President Ahmed al-Shara announced the names of the last 70 members of parliament. He appointed them personally. The 140 previously appointed members had already been pre-selected by government-appointed election committees. In short, there was no democratic election process and the President himself appointed his share of 70 members to the 210-seat Syrian parliament.

Parliament, tasked with changing laws and writing a new constitution for Syria, is a crucial turning point in the post-Assad transition process. So far, Turkey seems to be the biggest winner. For Turkey, the composition of the new Syrian parliament offers great chances, as many friendly faces — Turkmen and Kurds alike — have been elected or appointed as parliamentarians. In the future it will become clear whether this situation will pay out in the form of a permanent power boost for Turkey or hush money.

When two-thirds of the Syrian parliament was elected, a quarter of the elected members were former Syrian refugees in Turkey. Furthermore, most of the elected members had maintained positive relations and cooperation with Turkey in the past. Turkey’s influence in the new Syrian parliament should come as no surprise. It has taken in millions of Syrian refugees and granted them asylum. It has also provided shelter to the political Syrian opposition and has been a key advocate and pillar of support for the armed opposition against Assad. Turkish government institutions have had relationships at all levels with Syrian opposition figures who now make up the vast majority of parliamentarians. Turkey has also invested heavily in education, graduating thousands of Syrian students from universities inside Turkey and their branches in safe zones in Syria.

Another significant aspect of Turkey’s influence in Syria is the Turkmen and Kurdish ethnic groups. Syrian Turkmens see Turkey as their main ally, while Syrian Kurds are divided in pro-PKK and anti-PKK camps. If things continue as they are today, Turkey’s “Terror-Free” process and the integration process in Syria could positively change the attitude of PKK-linked Syrian Kurds towards Turkey.

Looking at the 210-member parliament, Syrian Turkmen are represented by 7 parliamentarians, while Syrian Kurds are represented by 10 parliamentarians. None of the 10 Syrian Kurdish MPs are linked to the PKK or PYD.

It would not be wrong to see the sudden visit by Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Aphrem II and his bishops in Turkey to President Erdoğan and the appointment of Assyrian Democratic Organization President Gabriel Mushe Gawrieh to parliament, as a sign of adding our people within the sphere of Turkey’s soft power in Syria.

My Conclusion: There is no democracy in Syria, not even a trace of democracy …

The views expressed in this op-ed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of SyriacPress.