Assad wins fourth term in election US calls neither ‘free nor fair’

Syrian President Bashar Assad has won his fourth term as president extending his rule over the country for another seven years.

The results were announced on Thursday by the head of parliament, Hammouda Sabbagh, with Sabbagh saying Assad won 95.1 percent of the vote at around 78 percent turnout, Reuters reported.

The U.S., United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and France released a joint statement on Tuesday condemning the election, saying it was neither “free nor fair” and “fraudulent” since the country did not agree to United Nations supervision of the results.

Syria has been denounced by multiple countries over the past decade due to its actions during a civil war that has embroiled the country since 2011.

“We denounce the Assad regime’s decision to hold an election outside of the framework described in UN Security Council Resolution 2254 and we support the voices of all Syrians, including civil society organizations and the Syrian opposition, who have condemned the electoral process as illegitimate,” the multi-country statement said.

There were rallies in Syria celebrating Assad’s win on Thursday with thousands of people, but officials told Reuters the rallies were organized by authorities to encourage voting.

The other candidates who ran in the election were former deputy Cabinet minister Abdallah Saloum Abdallah and Mahmoud Ahmed Marei, the head of an officially sanctioned opposition party. The candidates received 1.5 percent and 3.3 percent of the vote, respectively, Sabbagh said.