Britain branded Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s election victory an “insult”, saying on Thursday the poll was merely a way of “sustaining his dictatorship”.
Foreign Secretary William Hague said Assad lacked legitimacy before the election and lacked it afterwards.Assad, who succeeded his father in 2000, was re-elected with 88.7 per cent of the vote. Tuesday’s election was labelled a farce by rebels fighting to overthrow him, and its outcome was never in doubt.
“Assad lacked legitimacy before this election, and he lacks it afterwards. This election bore no relation to genuine democracy,” Hague said in a statement. “It was held in the midst of civil war with millions disenfranchised, denied access to basic humanitarian aid, and with all opposition to Assad brutally suppressed.