CAIRO, Dec 10 (Reuters) – Egyptians started voting on Sunday in a presidential election set to hand Abdel Fattah al-Sisi a 3rd time period in energy, because the nation grapples with an financial disaster and a war on its border with Gaza.
If Sisi wins a brand new six-year time period, his speedy priorities can be taming near-record inflation, managing a persistent international foreign money scarcity and stopping spillover from the battle between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers.
Voting, which runs from 9 a.m. till 9 p.m. (0700-1900 GMT), is unfold over three days, with outcomes due to be introduced on Dec. 18.
Patriotic songs performed on a loop as polling stations opened on Sunday morning in Cairo, the place footage of Sisi proliferated in the weeks main up to the election. Riot police have been deployed at entrances to Tahrir Square in the capital’s centre.
Critics see the election as a sham after a decade-long crackdown on dissent. The authorities’s media physique has referred to as it a step in direction of political pluralism.
Three candidates certified to stand in opposition to Sisi in the election, none of them high-profile figures. The most outstanding potential challenger halted his run in October, saying officers and thugs had focused his supporters – accusations dismissed by the nationwide election authority.
Authorities and commentators on tightly managed native media have been urging Egyptians to vote, although some individuals stated days earlier than the ballot they didn’t know when it was going down. Others stated voting would make little distinction.
“I was aware there are elections happening, but I had no idea when. I only knew that because of the massive Sisi campaigns around the streets,” stated Aya Mohamed, a 35-year-old advertising and marketing government.
“I feel indifferent about the elections because there will be no real change,” she stated.
‘I ALWAYS VOTE FOR PRESIDENTS’
As military chief, Sisi led the 2013 ousting of Egypt’s first democratically elected president, Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood, earlier than successful the presidency the next yr with 97% of the vote. He secured the identical margin of victory in 2018.
He has overseen a crackdown that has swept up liberal and leftist activists in addition to Islamists. Rights teams say tens of 1000’s have been jailed.
Sisi and his backers say the crackdown was wanted to stabilise Egypt and counter Islamist extremism. He has introduced himself as a bulwark of stability as battle has erupted on Egypt’s borders in Libya, and this yr in Sudan and Gaza.
[1/10]People wait in line exterior a polling station to vote throughout the first day of the presidential election in Cairo, Egypt, December 10, 2023. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany Acquire Licensing Rights
“I will vote for Sisi of course. I love him,” stated Nabia Ahmed, a 65-year-old mom of 4 voting in Bahr al Azam Street in Giza. “I always vote for presidents. I am voting because I want security for my children.”
In Al Arish in northern Sinai, the place the navy has prolonged its management after battling Islamist militants, a college named after a lifeless soldier the place footage of victims of assaults have been displayed was getting used as a polling station.
“Sisi secured our area for us. We have seen the most blood spilled, the least we can do is vote for him,” stated Leila Awad, an area training ministry official in a big group of civil servants who had come to vote.
SOARING PRICES
Egypt’s fast-growing inhabitants of 104 million is combating hovering costs and different financial pressures, with some individuals complaining that the state has prioritised expensive mega-projects whereas taking up extra debt.
“We are voting for him (Sisi),” stated Sabreen Khalifa, a 40-year-old mom of 5 in Giza. “But we want him to bring down the prices. Food, medicine, rent… it’s all very expensive.”
Behind the polling station, a Reuters reporter noticed baggage containing flour, rice and different fundamental commodities being handed out to individuals who confirmed ink stains on their fingers indicating they’d voted.
Some expressed disappointment that the luggage didn’t comprise sugar, not too long ago topic to sharp worth rises. Two Reuters reporters noticed voters being bussed into polling stations.
Scheduled energy cuts linked to lowered gasoline provides have been suspended throughout voting days, two electrical energy ministry sources stated.
The election marketing campaign has been low-key, with Sisi following a typical programme of opening an arms commerce honest, inspecting roads and sitting in on examinations for candidates to be part of navy and police academies in the week forward of the vote.
Some analysts say the election, initially anticipated in early 2024, was introduced ahead so financial modifications – together with devaluation of an already weakened foreign money – might be applied afterwards.
The International Monetary Fund on Thursday stated it was in talks with Egypt about further financing underneath an present $3 billion mortgage programme that stalled due to delays to gross sales of state property and a promised shift in direction of a extra versatile trade charge.
“All indicators suggest that we’re going to move quite quickly after the election in terms of proceeding with the IMF reform,” stated Hany Genena, chief economist at funding financial institution Cairo Financial Holding.
Reporting by Farah Saafan, Amina Ismail in Cairo, Nafisa Eltahir in northern Sinai; Additional reporting by Sarah El Safty and Momen Atallah
Writing by Aidan Lewis
Editing by Helen Popper, David Goodman and Catherine Evans
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
