LONDON: As Syrians this week marked one year since the downfall of Bashar Assad, a survey conducted inside the country has found overwhelming support for the new president and placed Saudi Arabia as the most popular international partner.
The former president fled the country on Dec. 8, 2024, after a lightning offensive by opposition forces reached Damascus, bringing an end to 14 years of civil war.
The campaign was spearheaded by Ahmad Al-Sharaa, who now serves as the country’s president and has pressed ahead with efforts to stabilize Syria and rebuild relations with international partners.
Those efforts were recognized in a recently published survey that found that 81 percent of those asked were confident in the president and 71 percent in the national government.
There was also strong backing for key institutions, with more than 70 percent supporting the army and 62 percent in favor of the courts and legal system.
