Bashar al-Assad was re-elected as President for a fourth term in war-ravaged Syria, amid accusations that polls were “neither free nor fair”.
Highlights
Parliamentary speaker announced, Assad got 95.1 percent of votes cast. In last multi-candidate poll of 2014, he had won 88 percent of vote.
Who is Bashar al-Assad?
A Syrian politician, who is the 19th president of Syria since 2000, succeeding his father who served from 1971 to 2000. He also served as commander-in-chief of Syrian Armed Forces and regional secretary of Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party in Syria. He started to work as doctor in Syrian Army.
Where is Syria located?
Syria is located in Western Asia. It shares border with Mediterranean Sea in west, Turkey in north, Iraq in east, Jordan in south, and Israel & Lebanon in southwest. Known for fertile plains, high mountains, and deserts, Country is home to ethnic & religious groups such as Kurds, Syrian Arabs, Turkmens, Armenians, Assyrians, Circassians, Mandeans and Greeks. Major religious groups include Sunnis, Christians, Salafis, and Yazidis. Arabs are largest ethnic group while Sunnis are largest religious group on the Syrian land.
Polity of Syria
Syria is a unitary republic comprising of 14 governorates. It is the only country which politically espouses Ba’athism. It is a member of United Nations and Non-Aligned Movement. Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation had suspended Syria in November 2011.