By Nabil Al Mulhem
Damascus
Bashar Assad officially became the president of Syria on Tuesday after parliament endorsed the results of the nationwide referendum announced earlier the same day.
An overwhelming majority of Syrians endorsed Assad’s candidacy. Of the 8,931,623 Syrians who cast their votes in the daylong poll on Monday, 97.29 percent went “green” with a yes vote for the 34-year-old Assad, according to the Syrian ministry of interior’s figures.
The results were later sent to parliament for endorsement at 18:00 local time (15.00 GMT) and were read out by Speaker Abdul Qader Qaddoura.
Qaddoura said that the new leader would be sworn in next Monday, adding that Assad would deliver a speech before the assembly, outlining his policies at the domestic and international levels.
Assad is the Baathist state’s 16th president, succeeding his father, Hafez, who died last month, and the secretary general of the Baath ruling party’s regional command. Presidency term in Syria lasts for seven years. Assad also holds the post of commander of the Syrian army -- Albawaba.com
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