Egypt: Election Preparations Get Underway
Sudan Events – Sumaya Sayed
Egypt is busy preparing for its presidential election which will take place from Sunday 10 to Tuesday 12, with the result expected on December 18.
The outcome is seen as a foregone conclusion, with incumbent President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi expected to win a third term, despite growing social discontent as the country’s economic situation worsens.
Egyptian voters will choose between Sissi, who has been in power since 2013, and three other candidates who remain mostly unknown to the public.
For most Egyptians, the number one priority remains the economy.
Inflation is running at 40%, the 50% devaluation has caused prices to soar and the private sector continues to shrink.
Public subsidies, meanwhile, are disappearing one by one under pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The IMF is still waiting to carry out its quarterly assessments following a new loan to Egypt, the second most default-prone country in the world.
The results will be announced on December 18, unless a second round must be organised.
However, seeing how Sissi has won the previous two elections with 96% of the vote, a third term for the president will be of no surprise.
For the Arab Reform Initiative, “Mr Sissi’s guaranteed victory has nothing to do with his popularity or economic performance”.
The think tank argues that “the key question is whether the elections will provide Sisi with renewed legitimacy or a boost that would allow him to overcome the increasing discontent over his economic governance of the country.
