The victory of Syria's ruling Baath party in the recent parliamentary elections has indicated that the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad is a real and credible force in Syria; predictably, Western media largely neglected the event and even tried to downplay its significance.

 

The recent parliamentary elections in�Syria held on�April 13 have become a thorn in�the side of�those who call themselves the "Syrian opposition" and whom the West and the Persian Gulf States support; they have rushed to�label the vote as�a "flimsy facade" and a "sham."

However, unlike�numerous radical Islamist factions which pretend that they are the representatives of�the Syrian people, the true political opposition took part in�the elections with�energy and enthusiasm.
"So contrary to�spurious claims from�Western governments and media, efforts were made to�open the voting to�all Syrian civilians including those who have fled terrorist held areas. We must also bear in�mind that over�90% of�IDPs (Internally displaced persons) have fled to�Government controlled areas, thus further discrediting claims that these elections are non-representative," peace activist and investigative journalist Vanessa Beeley wrote in�her article for�21CenturyWire.com.


Professor Tim Anderson, Australian social activist and academic, reported from�the ground on�the eve of�the elections that Damascus and the people of�Syria "are clearly taking to�heart UN recognition� that the country's political future must remain in�the hands of�Syrians, and no-one else."

According to�the People's Council, the number of�citizens who participated in�the elections in�the war-torn country amounted to 57.56 percent of�the electorate. As a result Syria's ruling Baath party has won a decisive victory.

It is impossible to�deny the legitimacy of�the vote.

However, Washington refused to�recognize the results of�the Syrian vote. Remarkably, much in�the same vein it denied the legitimacy of�the 2014 Syrian presidential election, when President Assad received almost 88.7 percent of�the vote.
"We have heard almost nothing about�the Syrian Parliamentary elections last week. It was not just the usual corporate media blackout, but�an orgy of�hate toward�the undefeated Syrian people by�the US coalition and an international news service that acts like�an extension of�Western Intelligence," Jim W. Dean, managing editor for�Veterans Today, comments on�the issue in�his article for�New Eastern Outlook.


It is understandable why the US political establishment is unsatisfied with�the vote: the elections have clearly indicated that the US-backed opposition enjoys little if any support from�the Syrians.
"The last thing the opposition groups wanted to�see or acknowledge was their tremendous defeat at�the polls, as�they could not continue their charade of�representing the majority of�the Syrian people, which is a bad joke," Dean remarks.


The journalist calls attention to�the fact that the parliamentary elections were not supposed to�replace the presidential one planned in�the Geneva accords.


In an exclusive interview with�Sputnik Syrian Prime Minister Wael Nader Halqi explained that after�the formation of�a "national unity government" and a referendum on�a new constitution for�the country new parliamentary elections will take place in�Syria.

However, according to�Dean the latest vote "was a show of�strength for�Assad and the Army at�this point due to�their turning the war around�against the jihadis."
"As a result of�the Syrian anti-terrorism coalition success, 1.7 million refugees are already returning to�their homes. All are eligible for�immediate loans to�begin rebuilding their shattered lives," Dean adds.


But that means nothing to�those who blindly believe that "Assad must go." The Western press closes its eyes to�what is really going on�on the ground.

Meanwhile, the US continues to�arm and train the so-called "Syrian moderate rebels."

At the same time, al-Qaeda's affiliate al-Nusra Front, backed and re-supplied by�Turkey, is making every effort to�preserve control over�the Aleppo area and gain ground in�the war.
"The Syrian people want their homes back and the terrorists dead� so let's get on�with what needs to�be done, or more will die who did not need to," Dean emphasizes.


By Sputnik