VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

After the General Elections that re-established Bashar al Assad as President of Syria, the country is still an arena for the struggle for influence of Russia, the European Union and the United States.

As is known, in the elections held last Wednesday, Bashar Al Asaad won 95 percent of the vote and made him President of Syria for a fourth term. Syrian Parliament Speaker Hammouda Sabbagh told a news conference that 78 percent of voters had cast their ballots. With the implementation of the election, the Syrian government emphasized that the country was running normally even though there was an armed conflict that had lasted for 10 years, and was being hit by Covid 19.

The results of the general election that re-installed Bashar Al Assad have been criticized by European Union countries and the United States. Before the election was held, the European Union and the United States issued a joint statement that considered it a fabrication of Bashar Al Assad. The United Nations has called for elections in Syria to be held with international oversight. The United Nations hopes that the results of such election will be able to encourage the birth of a new law that becomes a way for conflict resolution.

Instead of criticizing the implementation and results of the election, Russia, which is an ally of Bashar Al Assad, welcomed the results of the election that re-established Bashar Al Assad as President of Syria. With his victory, Bashar Al Assad will rule for another 7 years and continue the reign of the Al Assad family which has lasted for half a century. Bashar's father, Hafez Al Assad, previously ruled Syria for 30 years until 2000. The bloody conflict in Syria began in 2011 during the reign of Bashar Al Assad. The demonstrations in line with the Arab Spring phenomenon eventually turned into civil war which later attracted countries supporting and opposing Bashar Al Assad. As a result, millions of people were displaced, thousands died and the Syrian people lived in poverty.

The election, which is widely considered to be full of fraud and controversy, can be expected to not be able to resolve the bloody conflict that has also damaged infrastructure and beautiful historical heritage. The absence of an internal solution as well as the influence and intervention of foreign countries will make the country that used to be called Sham and known to be prosperous will continue to be torn apart with the suffering of the people.