In an unsurprising result, Syrian President Bashar Assad won reelection this week with 95.1% of the vote, despite the bloody civil war that broke out, in which the Assad regime committed war crimes against its own citizens.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
The 95.1% of the vote comprises 13,540,000 ballots cast.
Voting did not take place in areas controlled by rebels or Kurdish-led troops. At least 8 million, mostly displaced, live in those areas in northwest and northeast Syria. Over 5 million refugees – mostly living in neighboring countries – largely refrained from casting their ballots.
US and European officials have questioned the legitimacy of the election, saying it violates UN resolutions in place to resolve the conflict, lacks any international monitoring, and is unrepresentative of all Syrians.
Assad faced symbolic competition from two candidates – Abdullah Salloum Abdullah and Mahmoud Marie, a former minister and a former opposition figure.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
