The speaker of parliament announced yesterday that that the Syrian regime will hold presidential elections on 3 June 2014. This announcement comes amid an array of speculation about the strategies of the regime in the face of over three years of the Syrian uprising, a brutal and destructive regime response, and the militarization and radicalization of key segments of the opposition. With over 130,000 dead, approximately nine million displaced, and nearly fifty percent of the population dependent on aid, how do we make sense of the Syrian regime's announcement of elections amidst civil war?
In the below interview with Worldview airing on National Public Radio (NPR), Jadaliyya Co-Editor Bassam Haddad discusses the recent announcement, its broader context, and possible implications. The interview was conducted and broadcast on Monday 21 April 2014, the day of the elections announcement.
Bassam will also be speaking at UIC, a Community Fundraiser for Humanitarian Relief, and at the University of Chicago this week.