Presidential election in Syria during the civil war Mr. Assad's re-election surely resolved

The presidential election will be held on the 26th in Syria, the Middle East, 10 years after the civil war.

With the re-election of President Assad confirmed and almost in the hands of a military victory, President Assad is expected to show off the legitimacy of the administration, and the political resolution of the civil war may be further distant.

In Syria, the presidential election will be held on the 26th following the expiration of the term of President Assad, who has been in power for three terms and 21 years.

In addition to President Assad, two people are running for the election, but since they are not well known and voting is held only in the area controlled by the administration, it is certain that President Assad will be re-elected for the fourth term. ..

Ten years after the Assad administration's crackdown on democracy, which triggered the civil war, President Assad hunted down rebels with the support of Russia and others, and was almost in the hands of a military victory. But by winning, it seems to show off the legitimacy of the administration.

However, rebels calling for President Assad's resignation and the United States, which is increasing pressure due to sanctions, have criticized the election itself, and the United Nations has said that it is not a free and fair election based on a Security Council resolution.

As the process of drafting a constitution with the participation of rebels is stalled toward the end of the civil war, this election will lead to further strengthening of President Assad's power base, and the political solution to the end of the civil war will be further distant. There is also a risk.

Damascus citizen reaction

In Damascus, the capital of Syria, posters calling for votes for the presidential election and support for President Assad were posted throughout the town, and many citizens requested the re-election of President Assad.

A man in his twenties said, "I hope President Assad will win the election and everything will be better. We need to rebuild the country and the economy."

A woman in her thirties said, "We need to rebuild the country and return refugees. I want President Assad to do everything in his power to tackle these challenges."

In the city market, the value of the currency has fallen sharply due to sanctions in the United States, and prices continue to rise. Shoppers say, "Prices are high and households are on fire. What the president wants is stable prices." Was also asked.

Biography of President Assad

Syrian President Bashar Assad is 55 years old.

Following the death of his father, Hafez Assad, who had been a dictatorial government for 30 years, he took over the presidency at the age of 34 in 2000.

Since then, he has served as president for three terms and 21 years, and like his father, he has strengthened his powerful governance.

When the democratization movement called "Arab Spring" spread to Syria in March 2011, President Assad cracked down by force and became a battle with rebels who opposed it, leading to a civil war.

Western countries demanded the resignation of President Assad and supported the rebels, but President Assad was supported by Russia and Iran, and the presidential election held in 2014 was held only in the area controlled by the administration as this time. It was held and won with nearly 90% of the votes.

The re-election of President Assad is expected to be confirmed in this election as well, and it is expected that the power base will be further solidified while the military victory in the civil war is almost in hand.

Syrian Civil War Endless

When the Assad administration suppressed the democratization demonstration in Syria, which spread in the form of the spread of the democratization movement "Arab Spring" 10 years ago, it became a battle with the rebels and developed into a civil war.

Taking advantage of the turmoil involving the countries concerned, the civil war became swamped as the extremist organization IS = Islamic State unilaterally declared the establishment of an Islamic state that straddles Syria and Iraq in 2014.

The Assad administration, which was once inferior, regained the rebels and IS-controlled areas one after another with the support of air strikes by Russia from 2015, and the war situation tilted in favor of the administration side.

Meanwhile, the Assad regime almost certainly won a military victory as the rebels split into pieces, cornered in and around Idlib province in the northwest, and the IS weakened.

Although the large-scale battle has subsided since Russia, which is backed by the Assad administration, and Turkey, which supports the rebels, agreed to a ceasefire in March last year, the Kurdish forces that played a key role in the IS mopping operation. The country has been divided and sporadic clashes continue, with the country virtually dominating the northeastern part.

In addition, the process of aiming for a political solution, such as drafting a constitution for free and fair elections based on a resolution of the UN Security Council, has been stalled, and the end of the civil war is not foreseen.