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Syria Announces Assad’s Bid for Re-election as War Rages Syria Announces Assad’s Bid for Re-election as War Rages
(4 months later)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — The Syrian government announced on Monday that President Bashar al-Assad would compete in a presidential election scheduled for June 3 that is widely seen as an attempt to enhance his perceived legitimacy despite a raging civil war that has pushed his government out of much of the country and displaced millions of citizens. BEIRUT, Lebanon — The Syrian government announced on Monday that President Bashar al-Assad would compete in a presidential election scheduled for June 3 that is widely seen as an attempt to enhance his perceived legitimacy despite a raging civil war that has pushed his government out of much of the country and displaced millions of citizens.
Although recent legal changes mean that Mr. Assad will run opposed for the first time since he took over from his father, Hafez al-Assad, in 2000, his victory is considered a foregone conclusion, and most expect it will do nothing to stop the war.Although recent legal changes mean that Mr. Assad will run opposed for the first time since he took over from his father, Hafez al-Assad, in 2000, his victory is considered a foregone conclusion, and most expect it will do nothing to stop the war.
The Syrian election comes amid a series of votes across the Arab world that — despite purporting to show democracy in action — indicate how little the protest movements known collectively as the Arab Spring have affected the region’s traditional power structures.The Syrian election comes amid a series of votes across the Arab world that — despite purporting to show democracy in action — indicate how little the protest movements known collectively as the Arab Spring have affected the region’s traditional power structures.
Egypt has engaged in a wide-ranging crackdown on dissent before a vote that will almost surely name Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi, the former defense minister, president. Algeria on Monday witnessed the swearing in of its ailing septuagenarian president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Lebanese leaders continue to barter over who will become their new, largely symbolic head of state.Egypt has engaged in a wide-ranging crackdown on dissent before a vote that will almost surely name Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi, the former defense minister, president. Algeria on Monday witnessed the swearing in of its ailing septuagenarian president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Lebanese leaders continue to barter over who will become their new, largely symbolic head of state.
In Syria, election preparations have highlighted the yawning gaps between the supporters of Mr. Assad’s government, who say he is fighting a necessary war against foreign-backed extremists, and the opposition, which considers him a brutal dictator who must be overthrown.In Syria, election preparations have highlighted the yawning gaps between the supporters of Mr. Assad’s government, who say he is fighting a necessary war against foreign-backed extremists, and the opposition, which considers him a brutal dictator who must be overthrown.
After Mr. Assad’s candidacy was announced, armed men sped through parts of Damascus, firing guns in the air, and hundreds of people, many of them high school students and government employees, staged pro-Assad rallies.After Mr. Assad’s candidacy was announced, armed men sped through parts of Damascus, firing guns in the air, and hundreds of people, many of them high school students and government employees, staged pro-Assad rallies.
“I love President Bashar and my whole family loves him,” said Rania, a high school student at a rally who declined to give her last name to the foreign news media.“I love President Bashar and my whole family loves him,” said Rania, a high school student at a rally who declined to give her last name to the foreign news media.
“I don’t care about the other candidates,” she said. “I don’t even know their names.”“I don’t care about the other candidates,” she said. “I don’t even know their names.”
The news barely made a ripple in opposition areas.The news barely made a ripple in opposition areas.
“What do you think of this criminal and killer who wants to dress up in a new outfit and say, ‘I’m the legitimate president?’ ” said Tamam Hazim, an antigovernment activist reached through Skype in Aleppo, where he said his home had recently been destroyed by a bomb dropped from a government helicopter.“What do you think of this criminal and killer who wants to dress up in a new outfit and say, ‘I’m the legitimate president?’ ” said Tamam Hazim, an antigovernment activist reached through Skype in Aleppo, where he said his home had recently been destroyed by a bomb dropped from a government helicopter.
Speaking of Mr. Assad, he cited an Arabic proverb: “He has destroyed it and is sitting on the ruins.”Speaking of Mr. Assad, he cited an Arabic proverb: “He has destroyed it and is sitting on the ruins.”
The lack of reliable polling inside the country makes it impossible to gauge how much support Mr. Assad has, although many Syrians have stuck by him, seeing him as a symbol of the nation or fearing that an opposition victory could lead to Islamist rule.The lack of reliable polling inside the country makes it impossible to gauge how much support Mr. Assad has, although many Syrians have stuck by him, seeing him as a symbol of the nation or fearing that an opposition victory could lead to Islamist rule.
The Syrian National Coalition, the group of Syrian exiles that purports to lead the uprising, has failed to gather significant support inside the country and has called the vote a farce.The Syrian National Coalition, the group of Syrian exiles that purports to lead the uprising, has failed to gather significant support inside the country and has called the vote a farce.
The Syrian government has given no indication of how it will gather votes from the millions of Syrians who have sought refuge from the violence in neighboring countries, other than saying Syrian expatriates can vote in their embassies. Nor has it explained how it will organize voting in areas controlled by armed rebel groups. Instead, the state news media has focused on the strict formality of the process.The Syrian government has given no indication of how it will gather votes from the millions of Syrians who have sought refuge from the violence in neighboring countries, other than saying Syrian expatriates can vote in their embassies. Nor has it explained how it will organize voting in areas controlled by armed rebel groups. Instead, the state news media has focused on the strict formality of the process.
Holding an election in such circumstances has less to do with determining the will of the people than with projecting an image of normality and power, said Joshua Stacher, a political scientist at Kent State University who wrote a book examining the structure of Mr. Assad’s rule.Holding an election in such circumstances has less to do with determining the will of the people than with projecting an image of normality and power, said Joshua Stacher, a political scientist at Kent State University who wrote a book examining the structure of Mr. Assad’s rule.
“It is basically a message to opponents and to potential opponents that you don’t stand a chance, that we are so powerful that we can rig an election in the middle of a civil war,” he said.“It is basically a message to opponents and to potential opponents that you don’t stand a chance, that we are so powerful that we can rig an election in the middle of a civil war,” he said.
The other six people who have announced their intention to run include businessmen, former ministers, members of Parliament and one woman. None have made any public statements about the policies they would pursue nor implied that they would lead the country better than Mr. Assad.The other six people who have announced their intention to run include businessmen, former ministers, members of Parliament and one woman. None have made any public statements about the policies they would pursue nor implied that they would lead the country better than Mr. Assad.
Undermining the government’s portrayal of its complete control, antigovernment activists reported on Monday that the Nusra Front, the Qaeda affiliate in Syria, had agreed to restore electricity to government-controlled neighborhoods in Aleppo in exchange for reduced shelling of opposition neighborhoods.Undermining the government’s portrayal of its complete control, antigovernment activists reported on Monday that the Nusra Front, the Qaeda affiliate in Syria, had agreed to restore electricity to government-controlled neighborhoods in Aleppo in exchange for reduced shelling of opposition neighborhoods.
Rebels who took over the power station that supplies the city shut off the electricity to government-held neighborhoods 10 days ago to protest continued government attacks, according to Aleppo-based activists and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks the conflict from Britain through contacts inside Syria.Rebels who took over the power station that supplies the city shut off the electricity to government-held neighborhoods 10 days ago to protest continued government attacks, according to Aleppo-based activists and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks the conflict from Britain through contacts inside Syria.
After mediation by prominent Aleppo residents, the Nusra Front and other rebel groups turned the power back on, activists said. An online statement attributed to the Nusra Front warned that if the government did not stop striking opposition neighborhoods, it would cut the power again.After mediation by prominent Aleppo residents, the Nusra Front and other rebel groups turned the power back on, activists said. An online statement attributed to the Nusra Front warned that if the government did not stop striking opposition neighborhoods, it would cut the power again.
“Our response will be harsher than before,” the statement said.“Our response will be harsher than before,” the statement said.
The government did not comment.The government did not comment.