Vote share 95.1%... Foreign media call it a "token election"
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is expected to secure a fourth term in the upcoming presidential election, potentially extending his rule to at least 28 years.
According to major foreign media on the 27th (local time), Hammouda Sabbagh, Speaker of the Syrian Parliament, announced that President al-Assad won the election held the previous day with a vote share of 95.1%. This is an increase from the 88% vote share al-Assad received in the 2014 election.
Competing candidates Abdallah Salloum Abdallah, former Minister of State, and Mahmoud Marei, opposition leader, received 1.5% and 3.3% of the votes respectively. Out of 18 million eligible voters, 14.2 million participated, resulting in a voter turnout of 78.66%.
Upon confirmation of his victory, President al-Assad expressed his gratitude on Facebook, saying, "I thank the Syrian people for their passionate patriotism and high participation rate," and added, "Starting tomorrow, I will work to create hope for the future of our children."
Foreign media criticized this election as a mere formality to legitimize al-Assad’s continued rule. The two opposition candidates were largely unknown and considered "showcase opposition" candidates. There were suspicions that they were cooperating with the al-Assad regime, leading to accusations that they were "pro-regime opposition" politicians. Anticipating his victory, al-Assad barely campaigned after the candidate list was finalized on the 3rd.
Additionally, foreign media reported testimonies that the Syrian government organized large-scale pro-al-Assad rallies encouraging voting just before the election and instructed public officials to vote in this election.
Previously, President al-Assad succeeded his father, former President Hafez al-Assad, who ruled for 30 years, taking power in 2000 and maintaining the presidency since then. With this election, President al-Assad will extend his term by seven years, meaning the two men will have ruled Syria for about 60 years combined.
Meanwhile, Syria has been embroiled in a civil war for 10 years since large-scale protests against the al-Assad regime’s dictatorship began during the 2011 Arab Spring democratic uprisings in the Middle East.
As a result of the civil war, approximately 388,000 people have died, and half of Syria’s population has become refugees.
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