Syria Election: Assad wins in landslide victory

Syrian President Bashar Assad was re-elected in a landslide, officials said on Thursday, ushering in a fourth seven-year term in the war-torn country. Syria’s parliament speaker, Hammoud Sabbagh, announced the final results from Wednesday’s vote that Assad garnered 95.1% of the votes.

Assad’s win was not in doubt, in an election where officials said 18 million were eligible to vote. But in the country, areas controlled by rebels or Kurdish-led troops did not hold the vote. At least 8 million, mostly displaced, live in those areas in northwest and northeast Syria. Over 5 million refugees - mostly living in neighboring countries - have largely refrained from casting their ballots.