Syria may be embroiled in a brutal three-year civil war, but that's not stopping the government from holding controversial presidential elections this week. 

The election, which has been branded a sham by the West and by the Syrian opposition, is widely expected to return President Bashar al-Assad to power. 

CNN International Correspondent Frederik Pleitgen has reported from inside Syria numerous times during the conflict, which has left an estimated 150,000 people dead. He breaks down the key questions ahead of Tuesday's election. 

Why is it happening now? 

The government says Syria's new constitution stipulates that presidential elections must be held now. The regime says it shows the country is moving forward and that it is the first time a president will be elected by the people rather than appointed. The opposition says the election is a fraud, that voting will be rigged and that the poll serves only to cement Assad's power. 

Who are the other candidates? 

The other two candidates are relative unknowns. One is Maher Hajjar, an entrepreneur and member of parliament. He keeps out of the limelight and has not been heard from much. Hajjar's election posters declare that "Syria is with Palestine," which seems like a very narrow slogan. Other than that it is unclear what he would change should he win. 

The more intriguing candidate is Hassan Nouri, a former economics professor and cabinet minister who told me he had to resign because he was too critical of Assad's government. Nouri studied at the University of Wisconsin and still refers to himself as a Badger. He says the election is an uphill battle for him, but feels he is making headway. His main message is economic. He is for market liberalization and fighting corruption in government and in the private sector. But when it comes to fighting Syria's civil war, Nouri says he wouldn't do anything differently -- and much like Assad, he refers to the regime's three-year assault on the opposition as "fighting terrorism." 
How many people have died?
the conflict, which has left an estimated 150,000 people dead