Politics

War-torn Syria to hold presidential elections on May 26

Damascus, Apr 18 (EFE).- The Syrian government on Sunday set May 26 as the date for presidential elections, expected to give President Bashar al-Assad a new term in office in the war-ravaged country.

Speaker of the Syrian parliament Hammouda Sabbagh said the candidacy registration for the elections would kick off on Monday and continue for 10 days, according to the state news agency SANA.

Syrians living abroad will be able to vote on May 20, Sabbagh pointed out.

This would be the second presidential elections to take place since the civil war broke out in Syria in 2011.

In 2014, al-Assad was re-elected for a new seven-year term after he won a landslide victory with 88.7% of the votes in an election that saw more than one candidate run for the post for the first time in half a century.

The 55-year-old has ruled Syria since 2000 and is expected to run for a fourth term in office.

His father held power from 1971 to 2000.

The Syrian crisis began in 2011 with peaceful anti-government protests that soon turned into a full-blown conflict, drawing in foreign fighters and powers.EFE

rz-se-njd/smq/jt

Related Articles

Back to top button