On Wednesday, some Syrians went to the polls to elect a new president. The result, of course, is preordained: a victory for Bashar Assad.

Perhaps the world’s most infamous pariah, Assad has ruled Syria for the last 21 years. And this week, he will be reelected to a new, seven-year term by a handsome margin. Syria’s presidential election is far less a legitimate contest than it is a self-organized reaffirmation of Assad family rule. But it’s also icing on the cake for a man who nearly lost his throne during earlier periods of Syria’s now 10-year running civil war.