Assad re-elected Syrian president

FE Team | Published: June 06, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

Bashar al-Assad

DAMASCUS, June 5 (agencies): Bashar al-Assad has been re-elected Syria's president with 88.7 percent of the vote in an election labelled a farce by rebels fighting to overthrow him, and whose outcome was never in doubt.
The other candidates in Tuesday's vote-Hassan al-Nuri and Maher al-Hajjar-won 4.3 per cent and 3.2 per cent, respectively, parliamentary speaker Mohammad al-Lahham said.
"Congratulations to the Syrian people for its choice and decision," he said. "Syria has its leader and its captain, who will lead the ship to the shore of safety and security."
But Omar Abu Leyla, a rebel spokesman in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, said "the Syrian people has made its decision, and will continue in its revolution, whatever the cost.
Meanwhile, activist Raed from northern Syria posted on his Facebook page the central slogan of the Arab Spring that inspired a revolt in March 2011 against Assad: "The people want the fall of the regime."