One-sided elections in Syria in which President Bashar al-Assad’s victory decided

In war-torn Syrian government-controlled areas, people arrived at polling stations to vote in the presidential election. It is expected that President Bashar Assad may get a seven-year term for the fourth time.

This is the second presidential election since the country started a struggle ten years ago. However, this election has been rejected by opposition parties and western countries. Only members of Assad’s family have held this position for five decades. This time two more candidates are in the fray for the post of President, namely Abdullah Saloum Abdullah and Mahmood Ahmad Mary. But this competition seems to be symbolic. Thousands of people arrived at the polling booths of Dashmik from seven o’clock in the morning. Posters and banners in support of Assad are seen on the streets here. A few posters of other candidates are also seen in the middle. Voting will not take place in northeastern Syria because it is controlled by US-backed Kurdish fighters, nor is voting in the northwestern Idlib province, where the rebels are held. At the same time, people have boycotted voting in many areas under government control, including in the southern provinces of Dara and Sweden. The Biden administration has said that it will not recognize the result of the election in Syria unless a fair vote is held under the supervision of the United Nations and all representatives of Syrian society. Syrians living abroad voted last week. Assad has been in power here since the year 2000. Prior to this, his father Hafez was ruled here for 30 years.