Syrians abroad start voting for presidential elections

A Syrian national living in Kuwait, casts his vote for the presidential elections at the Syrian embassy in Kuwait City on May 20, 2021. (YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)

DAMASCUS – Syrians living abroad began casting their ballots on Thursday for the Syrian presidential elections scheduled next week in their country, state news agency SANA reported.

As scheduled, the Syrians abroad started voting for the presidential elections in the embassies and consulates of Syria in some Arab and other countries, while Syrians inside the home country are set to vote on May 26.

The Syrian government is promoting the elections and encouraging people to take part in the vote to determine "the future of Syria"

People are choosing from three presidential candidates, namely President Bashar al-Assad, former deputy cabinet minister Abdallah Saloum Abdallah, and Mahmoud Ahmed Marei, head of a small Syria-based opposition party.

The elections have been slammed by the United States and its allied Western countries as well as foreign-backed exiled Syrian opposition parties.

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However, the Syrian government is promoting the elections and encouraging people to take part in the vote to determine "the future of Syria."

In Lebanon, scuffles erupted on Thursday between Lebanese and Syrians, who were on their way to cast votes at their embassy. 

The voters were driving in a convoy of cars and buses, waving Syrian flags and playing pro-Assad songs on speakers, heading to the embassy on the outskirts of Beirut, when a group of Lebanese attacked their vehicles, witnesses said.

With Reuters inputs