25/05/2012 10:35
Mohamed Jihad Al Lahham new speaker of Syrian parliament
Mohamed Jihad Al Lahham, head of the Damascus branch of lawyers’ syndicate, has been elected as the new speaker of the Syrian parliament.
Lahham secured 225 out of 250 votes in Thursday’s opening session of Syria’s new parliament.
Lahham is a member of the Baath party which has the majority of seats in the newly-elected 250-member parliament.
Elections were held earlier this month as part of President Bashar al Assad’s response to more than a year of violence and calls for political reform.