Syrians came out in droves...demonstrating massive support for Mr Assad

Mr and Mrs Assad

President Bashar Assad still enjoys from the population, including many in the majority Sunni Muslim community Without Sunni support, however, Assad's rule would have collapsed long ago

That support was on display as Syrians voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to give Assad another seven-year term. He won 88.7 per cent of the vote.
"If only minorities were loyal to Assad, they (rebels) would have taken the country," said Wida Saleh, a 35-year-old lawyer and Assad supporter who reluctantly identified herself as a Sunni Muslim.

"But because the majority (Sunnis) are standing behind him, they have kept Syria standing," she said at a voting booth set up in Damascus' ornate, century-old Hijaz train station.

Saleh's comments were echoed by others interviewed by The Associated Press in a Sunni-dominated, middle-class neighbourhood of central Damascus, as well as by Syrians across the political spectrum — including some of the tens of thousands who have fled their country for neighbouring Lebanon. The Damascus interviews were conducted without the presence of government representatives.

A Syrian woman rides in a car painted in the colors of the Syrian flag with President Bashar Assad's portrait in Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Smiling Syrians