DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria’s parliament speaker says President Bashar Assad has been re-elected by a landslide, capturing 88.7 percent of the vote.
Jihad Laham said Wednesday that Assad’s two challengers, Hassan al-Nouri and Maher Hajjar, won 4.3 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively.
The Supreme Constitutional Court says turnout was 73.42 percent.
Tuesday’s vote was only held in government-controlled areas, and the opposition has denounced the election amid Syria’s civil war as a farce.
Assad’s victory was always a foregone conclusion, despite the presence of other candidates on the ballot for the first time in decades.
The win boosts his support base, and provides further evidence that Assad has no intention of relinquishing power
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.
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Of COURSE he won .
Kim Jung Un had something like 99.9% of the vote. Sissi just got 97%. I wouldn’t call Assad’s win a landslide as dictators go.
“Assad Wins Mississippi !”
Oh wait.
I would be cracking up about this farce of an election if it weren’t so F’ing sad.
Alas, there will be many at places with Disqus commenting hailing it as a triumph of democracy that proves America is evil.