BEIRUT (TASS) — The Speaker of the People’s Council of Syria, Hammouda Sabbagh, announced on Thursday the results of the May 26 presidential election, in which Bashar al-Assad, without much surprise, is the winner.

“The incumbent President Bashar al-Assad won the election, securing the support of 95.1% of the voters”, Sabbagh told a news conference in Damascus broadcast by Al-Ekhbariya television.

“The voter turnout was 78%”, he said, adding that over 14 mln citizens took part in the election. The speaker drew attention to high responsibility of the people “that surpassed all expectations”.