Presidential elections will start in Syria: for the first time in half a century, the head of state is chosen from several candidates

In Syria on Tuesday, June 3, against the backdrop of increased security measures, presidential elections are held, reports the Air Force . For the first time in 50 years during the post of head of state in the country where the armed conflict has been continuing since March 2011, along with the representative of the Assad family, two more candidates approved by the government - Maher Hajar and Hassan al -Nuri. However, no one doubts the victory of the current president Bashar Assad, claiming the third seven -year term.

Voting takes place only in areas controlled by Syrian government forces. Earlier, the official representative of the US State Department Jen Psaki called the Farsa elections. According to analysts, Syrian officials went to a lot to present the elections as a way to resolve the crisis.

The names of Hassan al-Nuri and Maher Hajara most Syrians heard for the first time when their candidates were presented to the parliament at the end of April. Both candidates represent an internal moderate opposition: a 54-year-old professor of Damasian University Al-Nuri, who defended his thesis at the John Kennedy American California University-liberal circles, and the 45-year-old deputy of the Hajar parliament is the left flank, RIA Novosti notes.

To win the first round, the candidate must get the absolute majority - 50% plus one vote. If none of the candidates will win in the first round, the second is appointed in which two applicants will take part, who gained the largest number of votes.

In March, the Syria parliament approved a new election law, which for the first time in the history of the country allows you to participate in the elections to several candidates. Prior to this, the candidate was elected from the ruling party, then he was approved by the parliament, and then the referendum on the support of the applicant was held. Assad was re -elected to the post of head of state on May 27, 2007 following the results of the national referendum, having received the support of 97.62% of voters.

"Perhaps I will not become the winner in these elections. But the participation of alternative candidates is important for the Syrians in that the whole world will see: in the country there is a different point of view on the management of the country. We are competitors with Assad, our programs are very different in regard to economic, social and administrative reforms. In the field of politics, our beliefs coincide - it is necessary to eradicate terrorism and prevent the destruction of territorial integrity Syria, ”Al -Nuri said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

In turn, the head of the Syrian election committee, the Supreme Judicial Committee for the elections - Hishas Ash Shaar, said in an interview with the agency that, despite the fact that voting in areas where military operations are underway against militants, this would not be carried out much of the turnout of the voters. According to him, it is not the area of ​​those territories in which it is impossible to ensure safe voting, but the number of people. Most of the population left unsafe places and will vote where they are currently located.

Earlier, more than 200 thousand Syrians voted in early voting, which began on May 28 in 43 siagrand of Syria abroad. The turnout abroad was 95% of the number of registered embassies. In Lebanon, the vote lasted two days and lasted overtime until midnight. The voting results abroad will be announced simultaneously with the main results in Syria after the final counting.

As Hisham al-Shaar told, observers from "friendly countries", including a group of deputies of the State Duma of Russia and representatives of the CEC of the Russian Federation, will follow the voting progress in Syria. The vote begins at 7:00 (8:00 Moscow time) and will end at 19:00 (20:00 Moscow time).

Last week, the Syrian opposition called for postponing presidential elections in the country "until better times." Oppositionists motivated this by the fact that most Syrians could not take part in them for "objective reasons". The head of the Popular Front for the change and liberation of Kadri Jamil said that the opposition would not participate in the vote.