President Bashar Assad was sworn in Tuesday for a second, seven-year term in office.

The Syrian leader took the oath of office before the 250-seat People's Assembly, or parliament, to a thunderous applause by legislators.

Assad was re-elected May 27 by 97.62 percent of the votes in a referendum boycotted by the opposition and dismissed by critics as a sham.

He was the only candidate in the "no" or "yes" vote.

Assad, a British-educated ophthalmologist, came to power in 2000, succeeding his father, the late Hafez Assad.

The Associated Press