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{{Short description|None}}
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{{Politics of Syria}}
{{Infobox election
⚫
A '''referendum to confirm the presidential candidate''' [[Bashar al-Assad]] was held in [[Syria]] on 27 May 2007, after the [[People's Council of Syria]] voted to propose the [[incumbent]] for a second term on 10 May 2007. <ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/27/AR2007052701117.html Syrians Vote For Assad in Uncontested Referendum : Foes of President Boycott Election] ''[[Washington Post]]'', 28 May 2007</ref> It was widely{{clarify|date=September 2012}} believed that the elections were rigged{{cn|date=September 2012}}. Syrian dissidents invited Syrians not to cast their ballots in what they said would be a rigged vote but to stay at home.<ref>http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Politics&loid=8.0.418621740&par=0{{Dead link|date=September 2012}}</ref>
| election_name = 2007 Syrian presidential election
| country = Syria
| flag_year = 2007
| flag_image =
| type = presidential
| vote_type = Popular
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 2000 Syrian presidential election
| previous_year = 2000
| election_date = {{Start date|2007|5|27|df=y}}
| next_election = 2014 Syrian presidential election
| next_year = 2014
| image1 = [[File:Syria.BasharAlAssad.01.jpg|100px]]
| nominee1 = '''[[Bashar al-Assad]]'''
| party1 = Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region
| alliance1 = National Progressive Front (Syria)
| popular_vote1 = '''11,199,445'''
| percentage1 = '''99.82%'''
| title = President
| before_election = [[Bashar al-Assad]]
| before_party = Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region
| posttitle = Elected President
| after_election = [[Bashar al-Assad]]
| after_party = Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region
| map_image = 2007 Presidential election (de-facto presidential referendum) in Syria.jpg
| map_size = 250px
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}}{{Politics of Syria}}
{{Bashar al-Assad series}}


⚫
A '''referendum to confirm the presidential candidate''' [[Bashar al-Assad]] was held in [[Syria]] on 27 May 2007, after the [[People's Council of Syria]] unanimously<ref name='washington'>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/29/AR2007052900471.html Syrian President Easily Wins Referendum] [[The Washington Post]], 29 May 2007</ref> voted to propose the [[incumbent]] for a second term on 10 May 2007.<ref name='washington2'>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/27/AR2007052701117.html Syrians Vote For Assad in Uncontested Referendum : Foes of President Boycott Election] [[The Washington Post]], 28 May 2007</ref>
⚫
According to the [[Constitution of Syria|Syrian Constitution]], the [[Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region|Arab Socialist Ba'at Party of Syria]] is the leader of the state and society and thus, the president should be a member of the party. The [[National Progressive Front (Syria)|National Progressive Front]], which is a political coalition led by the Ba'ath Party, nominates a candidate in parliament, the [[People's Council of Syria|People's Council]]. The candidate must be approved by at least two thirds of the members to proceed to the next step which is a general referendum in which a candidate must claim a percentage of more than 50%.


==Electoral system==
==Result==
⚫
According to the [[Constitution of Syria|Syrian Constitution]], the [[Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region|Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party of Syria]] is the leader of the state and society and thus, the President should be a member of the party. The [[National Progressive Front (Syria)|National Progressive Front]], a political coalition led by the Ba'ath Party, nominated a candidate in the [[People's Council of Syria|People's Council]]. The candidate had to be approved by at least two-thirds of MPs to proceed to the referendum, in which a candidate had to receive at least 51% of the vote.
According to [[Interior Minister]] [[Bassam Abdel Majeed]], Assad won 97.62 per cent of the vote.<ref>[http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21815844-5005961,00.html Syrian President wins 97pc of vote] ''[[Herald Sun]],'' 29 May 2007</ref> <ref>[http://www.albawaba.com/en/countries/Syria/213371 Over 97% of Syrian voters back Bashar Assad for new seven-year mandate] ''[[Al Bawaba]],'' 29 May 2007</ref> "This great consensus shows the political maturity of Syria and the brilliance of our democracy," said the interior minister, while the ministry described [[voter turnout]] as "enormous".<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6700021.stm Syria's Assad wins another term] [[BBC News]], 29 May 2007</ref>


==Results==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
{{Election results
!Option
|cand1=[[Bashar al-Assad]]|party1=[[Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region|Ba'ath Party]]|votes1=11199445
!Votes
|row2=Against|votes2=19653
!%
|invalid=253059
|-
|electorate=11967611
|align="left"| Yes
|source=[http://www.electionguide.org/elections/id/110/ IFES]
|align="right"| 11,199,445
⚫
}}
|align="right"| 97.62

|-
==Aftermath==
|align="left"| No
The referendum was widely regarded as a formality,<ref name='haaretz'>[http://www.haaretz.com/news/assad-wins-97-6-of-vote-en-route-to-re-election-victory-1.221687 Assad wins 97.6% of Vote en Route to Re-election Victory] [[Haaretz]], 29 May 2007</ref> and was [[election boycott|boycotted]] by the [[Syrian opposition|opposition]].<ref name='washington2' /><ref name='reuters'>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-vote-opposition-idUSOWE75174320070517 Syria's opposition boycotts vote on Assad] [[Reuters]], 17 May 2007</ref><ref name='cbs'>[http://www.cbsnews.com/news/syrians-vote-in-presidential-referendum/ Syrians Vote In Presidential Referendum] [[CBS News]], 27 May 2007</ref><ref name='sbs'>[http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2007/05/29/syrias-assad-wins-second-term Syria's Assad wins second term] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201132750/https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2007/05/29/syrias-assad-wins-second-term |date=2017-12-01 }} [[SBS World News]], 29 May 2007</ref> Political opposition groups were banned unless attached to the Ba'ath Party, meaning Assad was the only candidate allowed to run.<ref name='haaretz' /><ref name='reuters' /><ref name='cbs' /><ref name='sbs' /><ref name='bbc' /> It was reported that dissent was met with imprisonment and intimidation.<ref name='washington' /><ref name='guardian' /><ref name='nytimes'>[https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/27/world/middleeast/27syria.html Syrian President's Fortunes Revive for Election] [[The New York Times]], 27 May 2007</ref> Fear of government reprisal was said to have been pervasive.<ref name='guardian' /><ref name='nytimes' /> Critics accused Assad of rampant corruption, mass arrests against dissidents, and suppression of pro-democracy activists.<ref name='washington' /><ref name='reuters' /><ref name='sbs' /><ref name='salon'>[http://www.salon.com/2007/05/31/syria_10/ How Bush’s war bolstered Syria] [[Salon (website)|Salon]], 1 June 2007</ref>
|align="right"| 19,653

|align="right"| 0.17
Members of the [[Damascus Declaration]] issued a statement which said calls to amend the constitution to allow for freer elections were ignored.<ref name='washington' /> Syrian lawyer [[Haitham al-Maleh]] stated "there is only one candidate and this is absolutely not a healthy process."<ref name='cbs' /> [[Tom Casey (diplomat)|Tom Casey]], American spokesman for the [[United States Department of State|State Department]], said "I'm sure President Assad is basking in the glow of his ability to have defeated exactly zero other candidates and continue his misrule of Syria," and that "clearly there was no real choice here for the Syrian people."<ref name='washington' /><ref name='aljazeera'>[http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2007/05/2008525134140839108.html US criticises al-Assad election win] [[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]], 30 May 2007</ref>
|-

|align="left"| Invalid
[[Interior Minister]] [[Bassam Abdel Majeed]] claimed "this great consensus shows the political maturity of Syria and the brilliance of our democracy", while the ministry described [[voter turnout]] as "enormous".<ref name='bbc'>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6700021.stm Syria's Assad wins another term] [[BBC News]], 29 May 2007</ref> The information minister, [[Muhsen Bilal]], stated that "we have our own style of democracy and we are proud of it."<ref name='guardian'>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/may/28/syria.ianblack Democracy Damascus style: Assad the only choice in referendum] [[The Guardian]], 28 May 2007</ref>
|align="right"| 253,059
|align="right"| 2.21
|-
|align="left"| '''Total''' (turnout 95.86%)<br>''(11,967,611 eligible)''
|align="right"| 11,472,157
|align="right"|100.0
|-
|colspan="3"|Source: [http://www.sana.sy/eng/141/2007/05/29/120564.htm Syrian Arab News Agency]
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|}


==References==
==References==
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{{Syrian elections}}
{{Syrian elections}}


[[Category:2007 elections in Asia]]
[[Category:2007 elections in Asia|Syria]]
[[Category:2007 in Syria|Presidential election]]
[[Category:2007 in Syria|Presidential election]]
[[Category:Presidential elections in Syria|2007]]
[[Category:Presidential elections in Syria]]
[[Category:Single-candidate elections]]
[[Category:Single-candidate elections]]

Latest revision as of 08:20, 8 November 2023

2007 Syrian presidential election
← 2000 27 May 2007 (2007-05-27) 2014 →
 
Nominee Bashar al-Assad
Party Ba'ath Party
Alliance NPF
Popular vote 11,199,445
Percentage 99.82%
President before election

Bashar al-Assad
Ba'ath Party

Elected President

Bashar al-Assad
Ba'ath Party

Politics of Syria

Arab League Member State of the Arab League

Constitution
Human rights
Executive
Legislature
Judiciary
Subdivisions
Elections
Foreign relations

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File:Bashar al-Assad (2018-05-17) 02 (cropped).jpg This article is part of
a series about
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A referendum to confirm the presidential candidate Bashar al-Assad was held in Syria on 27 May 2007, after the People's Council of Syria unanimously[1] voted to propose the incumbent for a second term on 10 May 2007.[2]

Electoral system

[edit]

According to the Syrian Constitution, the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party of Syria is the leader of the state and society and thus, the President should be a member of the party. The National Progressive Front, a political coalition led by the Ba'ath Party, nominated a candidate in the People's Council. The candidate had to be approved by at least two-thirds of MPs to proceed to the referendum, in which a candidate had to receive at least 51% of the vote.

Results

[edit]
CandidatePartyVotes%
Bashar al-AssadBa'ath Party11,199,44599.82
Against19,6530.18
Total11,219,098100.00
Valid votes11,219,09897.79
Invalid/blank votes253,0592.21
Total votes11,472,157100.00
Registered voters/turnout11,967,61195.86
Source: IFES

Aftermath

[edit]

The referendum was widely regarded as a formality,[3] and was boycotted by the opposition.[2][4][5][6] Political opposition groups were banned unless attached to the Ba'ath Party, meaning Assad was the only candidate allowed to run.[3][4][5][6][7] It was reported that dissent was met with imprisonment and intimidation.[1][8][9] Fear of government reprisal was said to have been pervasive.[8][9] Critics accused Assad of rampant corruption, mass arrests against dissidents, and suppression of pro-democracy activists.[1][4][6][10]

Members of the Damascus Declaration issued a statement which said calls to amend the constitution to allow for freer elections were ignored.[1] Syrian lawyer Haitham al-Maleh stated "there is only one candidate and this is absolutely not a healthy process."[5] Tom Casey, American spokesman for the State Department, said "I'm sure President Assad is basking in the glow of his ability to have defeated exactly zero other candidates and continue his misrule of Syria," and that "clearly there was no real choice here for the Syrian people."[1][11]

Interior Minister Bassam Abdel Majeed claimed "this great consensus shows the political maturity of Syria and the brilliance of our democracy", while the ministry described voter turnout as "enormous".[7] The information minister, Muhsen Bilal, stated that "we have our own style of democracy and we are proud of it."[8]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e Syrian President Easily Wins Referendum The Washington Post, 29 May 2007
  2. ^ a b Syrians Vote For Assad in Uncontested Referendum : Foes of President Boycott Election The Washington Post, 28 May 2007
  3. ^ a b Assad wins 97.6% of Vote en Route to Re-election Victory Haaretz, 29 May 2007
  4. ^ a b c Syria's opposition boycotts vote on Assad Reuters, 17 May 2007
  5. ^ a b c Syrians Vote In Presidential Referendum CBS News, 27 May 2007
  6. ^ a b c Syria's Assad wins second term Archived 2017-12-01 at the Wayback Machine SBS World News, 29 May 2007
  7. ^ a b Syria's Assad wins another term BBC News, 29 May 2007
  8. ^ a b c Democracy Damascus style: Assad the only choice in referendum The Guardian, 28 May 2007
  9. ^ a b Syrian President's Fortunes Revive for Election The New York Times, 27 May 2007
  10. ^ How Bush’s war bolstered Syria Salon, 1 June 2007
  11. ^ US criticises al-Assad election win Al Jazeera, 30 May 2007
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