Bashar Al-Assad Wins New Syrian Presidential Election Amidst Fighting

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, Trending Stories Thursday, June 5th, 2014

Amidst persistent violence, incumbent Bashar al-Assad of Syria has won the just concluded country’s Presidential election. Al-Assad won with about 90 per cent of the total vote cast, in a poll reportedly held only in the government stronghold areas.

Although, the guurdian reported that the Western analysts has described the fresh election as a “farce” , nevertheless, the Syrian strongman by the result, has earned another seven years in office, making it his third term in the Syrian state house.

Syria’s parliament speaker, Jihad Lahan, announced the final results from Tuesday’s election, saying Assad polled a total of 10,319,723 votes, or 88 per cent, informing further that the two main oppositions – Hassan al-Nouri and Maher Hajjar, recorded four per cent and three per cent respectively, in an exercise which the Syrian supreme constitutional court put the turnout at 73 per cent.

After the results were released, Damascus erupted into a thunderous, rolling clap of jubilating gunfire that was similar to heavy weaponry. On the streets of the capital, men cheered and whistled, while some broke into the familiar pro-Assad chant such as: “With our souls, with our blood, we sacrifice for you, Bashar!”

Meanwhile, rash of mixed reactions have trailed the poll especially from the western world. In Beirut, US secretary of state John Kerry brazenly criticized the election, calling it “a great big zero.” He said it can’t be considered fair “because you can’t have an election where millions of your people don’t even have an ability to vote.” “Nothing has changed from the day before the election and the day after. Nothing,” Kerry said during a one-day visit to the Lebanese capital. The European Union joined the US in similar regard, saying in a statement that “it cannot be considered as a genuinely democratic vote.”

In contrast, a delegation led by the government’s chief international supporters in Damascus, applauded the poll, claiming it was transparent and free, and would pave the way for “stability and national agreement.”

Away from the poll result, a delegation of officials from more than 30 countries, including legislators and dignitaries from Iran, Russia and Venezuela, who toured polling stations during the election, in a final statement read by the head, Iranian parliament’s committee on national security, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, blamed the US and its allies for “crimes committed against the Syrian people.”