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Syrian presidential elections held without violations or incidents, MP says

Syrian People's Council Member reported that "everything went smoothly, apart from a few minor shooting incidents"

DAMASCUS, May 27. / TASS /. No violations and significant incidents have been recorded during the presidential elections in Syria, People's Council (parliament) Member Osama Mustafa told TASS on Thursday.

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"The elections were held without any violations. People came and voted," he said. According to the Syrian MP, "it is now clear that the majority expressed support for [incumbent President] Bashar al-Assad."

"Everything went smoothly, apart from a few minor shooting incidents," Mustafa noted, commenting on holding the polls amid large crowds of voters at the polling stations.

Three candidates were running for president: incumbent President Bashar al-Assad, former MP and Socialist Unionists Party candidate Abdullah Sallum Abdullah and internal opposition delegation member Mahmoud Ahmed Merei. The presidential term is seven years.

During the 2014 elections, which were also held on an alternative basis, Bashar al-Assad secured victory with 88.7% of the vote. Assad is the Secretary-General of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, which has been in power in Damascus since 1963.

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