Syrian presidential election, 2007

A referendum to confirm the presidential candidate Bashar al-Assad was held in Syria on 27 May 2007, after the People's Council of Syria voted to propose the incumbent for a second term on 10 May 2007. [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/27/AR2007052701117.html Syrians Vote For Assad in Uncontested Referendum : Foes of President Boycott Election] "Washington Post", 28 May 2007] It was widely believed that the elections were rigged. Syrian dissidents invited Syrians not to cast their ballots in what they said would be a rigged vote but to stay at home. [http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Politics&loid=8.0.418621740&par=0]

According to the Syrian Constitution, the Baath Arab Socialist Party is the leader of the state and society and thus, the president should be a member of the party. The National Progressive Front, which is a political coalition led by the Baath Party, nominates a candidate in parliament, the People's Council. The candidate must be approved by at least two thirds of the members to proceed to the next step which is a general referendum in which a candidate must claim a percentage of at least 51%.

Result

According to Interior Minister Bassam Abdel Majeed, Assad won 97.62 per cent of the vote. [ [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21815844-5005961,00.html Syrian President wins 97pc of vote] "Herald Sun," 29 May 2007] [ [http://www.albawaba.com/en/countries/Syria/213371 Over 97% of Syrian voters back Bashar Assad for new seven-year mandate] "Al Bawaba," 29 May 2007] "This great consensus shows the political maturity of Syria and the brilliance of our democracy," said the interior minister, while the ministry described voter turnout as "enormous". [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6700021.stm Syria's Assad wins another term] BBC News, 29 May 2007]

United States reaction

In a United States State Department briefing held on 29 May, Deputy Spokesman Tom Casey said that, "I think it's pretty hard to suggest that any kind of election can be free, fair or credible when you've only got one candidate, and that candidate receives about 98 percent of the vote. Look, clearly, there was no real choice here for the Syrian people... I'm sure President Assad is basking in the glow of his ability to have defeated exactly zero other candidates and continue his misrule of Syria." [ [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2007/may/85568.htm Daily Press Briefing] , U.S. State Dept., 29 May 2007]

References