In 2007, Assad won the Presidential “Election” by a whopping 99.82% of the popular vote. Let me explain how that happened, as I played a small role in it. In that year, he ran unopposed and it was impossible under the Constitution to contest anyone other than him in #Syria. 1/ Elections in #Syria at that time and prior to them were litmus tests of people’s allegiance to the Regime. Failure to vote was looked at suspiciously, and you could be questioned for it. At the same time, voting booths were monitored for dissenters/opposition who dared vote no.