Millions of eligible voters in Egypt are expected to elect a president in December this year. The presidential elections will take place from December 10 to 12, the electoral commission announced in Cairo on Monday. Egyptians living abroad must vote from December 1 and also for three days. The results will be announced on December 18. Walid Hamsa, deputy chairman of the Supreme Court of Appeal, promised fair elections. “Say your opinion at the ballot box and decide your fate and your future with your own hands,” Hamsa said.
Egypt’s president is Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who came to power after a military coup in 2013 and has ruled with an iron fist ever since. He has not yet officially declared his candidacy for election, but it is certain that he will run for office. His term ends in April next year. Thanks to a constitutional amendment in 2019, he can now run for a possible third term, which has also been extended from four to six years.
In the last elections in 2018, Al-Sisi ran against just one opponent – a self-proclaimed Sisi supporter – and was subsequently re-elected with 97 percent of the vote. Critics called it a ‘farce’. This is also why it is believed that there will be little to no chance of serious challengers and that Al-Sisi will be re-elected head of state – until 2030.
About 105 million people live in North Africa’s most populous country. According to media reports, 65 million of them are eligible to vote. Many families are suffering from sharp price increases and strict government austerity measures. According to official figures, about a third of the population lives in poverty; the number of unreported cases is likely to be significantly higher. According to human rights activists, dissidents and critics of the government are being brutally prosecuted and face arbitrary arrests and worse.
Several Sisi supporters from other parties have announced their intention to participate in the elections. Former MP and opposition politician Ahmed al-Tantaui has also announced his candidacy, accusing security forces of arresting more than 30 of his supporters and associates. The Ministry of the Interior rejected this accusation. According to IT experts at the Canadian Citizen Lab, Al-Tantaui’s cell phone has been spied on several times in recent months. (sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
