Syria's dictator Bashar al-Assad likes to present himself as a champion of his nation's religious minorities, in particular the Christians. But increasing numbers of Syrian Christians in exile are resisting this narrative. By Martina Sabra
Al-Assad’s pre-election measures: Application and goals
Washington, DC/USA, two demonstrators holding a Syrian flag super imposed with the image of President Bashar al-Assad at an anti-AIPAC demonstration at the White House – 24 March 2019 (Shutterstock)
Enab Baladi-Noureddin Ramadan
The head of the Syrian regime, Bashar al-Assad, has taken several measures ahead of the 2021 presidential elections. With these measures, al-Assad seeks to consolidate his rule, particularly if elections are to be held under international controls.
In the past weeks, Syrian regime officials, chiefly the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Faisal Mekdad, and al-Assad’s advisor, Bouthaina Shaaban, stated that elections will be conducted on time, namely between April 16 and May 16, 2021, in line with the election law.