Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the leader of Egypt, was re-elected for a third term on Monday without any significant competition. He declared the election as a rejection of the cruel conflict in Gaza, a neighboring region.
After the amendment of Egypt’s constitution in 2019, which extended the presidential term from four to six years and permitted Sisi to run for a third term, the president was able to secure the highest position.
According to the National Election Authority, the vote was won by a margin of 89.6%, amidst Egypt’s ongoing economic crisis and efforts to handle potential spillover from the Israel-Gaza conflict near the Sinai Peninsula.
A large number of individuals in the most densely populated country in the Arab world showed apathy towards the election taking place on 10-12 December, stating that the outcome was already predetermined.
Certain voters stated that the conflict between Israel and Gaza had influenced their decision to vote for Sisi. He has identified the war as Egypt’s main obstacle.
Sisi stated in a speech after the results were announced that the Egyptians stood in line to vote, not only to elect their president for the upcoming term, but also to demonstrate their opposition to this cruel war to the rest of the world.
The election included three additional contenders, none of whom were well-known. The most notable potential opponent ended his campaign in October, claiming that government officials and criminals had harassed his supporters – allegations that were disregarded by the election commission.
According to Hossam Bahgat, leader of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), the lack of elections was due to Sisi’s use of the full power of the state and security agencies to block any potential candidates from participating.
Reporters from Reuters observed voters being transported to voting locations and receiving bags of food, while others reported feeling pressured by their employers to vote.
The Egyptian government’s media agency stated that the election was a move towards having multiple political parties, and officials have rejected claims of breaking election regulations.
In 2014 and 2018, Sisi, a previous military leader, won the presidential election with 97% of the vote on both occasions.
Some admire an infrastructure drive including a new capital built from scratch in the desert east of Cairo, which Sisi has said marks the launch of a “new republic”. Others see the city as a costly extravagance. Rapid inflation, a chronic foreign currency shortage, and a rising debt burden have led to growing criticism of economic policy.
“I reaffirm my agreement with you to work together and put forth our best efforts in order to continue constructing the new nation that we aspire to establish based on our common vision,” Sisi stated in a pre-recorded speech that was quietly broadcasted on state television.
While economic decisions including a possible currency devaluation could follow the vote, Egypt’s governing structure that has a dominant military was unlikely to change, with repression of dissent a “huge deterrent” against unrest, said Michael Hanna, US program director at Crisis Group.
According to him, they have remained steadfast in their methods of governing the country and seem unaffected by the consequences of their approach.
Source: theguardian.com
