Syria will hold a presidential election on May 26 that is virtually certain to return President Bashar al-Assad for a third term – an event that Washington and the opposition say is a farce designed to cement his autocratic rule. Assad’s family and his Baath party have ruled Syria for five decades with the help of the security forces and the army, where his Alawite minority dominate. Candidates must have lived in Syria for the last 10 years, which prevents key opposition figures in exile from standing. Opposition and Western leaders have been demanding for a decade that Assad, whom they accuse of crimes against humanity, step down. Assad’s supporters say Washington and its Western allies are seeking to bring Assad down with the crippling sanctions they have imposed.

Source: Egypt Independent April 18, 2021 12:45 UTC