As expected, the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, was crowned this week as the winner of the presidential elections that were held earlier this month, and will now enter his third consecutive term. He received 89.6% of the votes, while the three competing candidates who opposed him – and who until the elections were considered relatively unknown among the majority of the Egyptian public – shared the rest of the votes.
According to the National Elections Authority in Egypt, the voter turnout broke records and reached 66.8%. The establishment media praised the broad public response to the elections and their proper administration. However, independent media sites reported various irregularities, such as encouraging voting in exchange for money and creating "artificial queues" at the entrance of the polling stations. Some members of the opposition described the elections as a "show" and called for their boycott due to the exclusion of some candidates.
The elections provided an opportunity for the Egyptian regime to conduct a campaign that included a series of messages to the public, especially at a time when the country is weathering a severe economic crisis. Supporters of the regime noted the achievements of the President in his previous terms, including the eradication of terrorism in Sinai, improved living conditions in poor areas, a strengthened status of women, and empowerment of young people and those with disabilities. They emphasized the momentum of development registered in Egypt toward the construction of a "new republic" and the gradual democratization embodied in the plurality of candidates and opinions, processes that must be allowed to continue.
For their part, the opposition candidates received a media platform, even if more modest than that of the President, and voiced criticism – albeit measured – of the incumbent regime. Their proposals included, inter alia, increasing spending on health and education, strengthening of the private sector, increased independence of the judicial system, and the release of freedom of expression prisoners. Some of the candidates took a more hawkish line than the regime's toward Israel regarding the war in Gaza, and one tore up a picture of Prime Minister Netanyahu on a live broadcast.
President el-Sisi has also earned political capital from the war, which took a central place in the election campaign. His mobilization to repel what was described as an "Israeli plot" to displace the Palestinians from Gaza to Sinai, threaten Egypt's national security, and eliminate the Palestinian cause at its expense was presented as reflecting his ability to stand firm in the face of danger. The President's victory in the elections was explained as the unification of the Egyptian people around the candidate capable of providing the best protection for the homeland.
However, the President's main test awaits him outside the ballot box. In the near future, the regime will need public support for the economic reforms necessary for the Egyptian economy, as the International Monetary Fund conditions the continuation of loan assistance to Egypt on these reforms. In this sense, the stability of the political system in Egypt will contribute to the country's image abroad as well. Another weighty challenge the President will face is the tension in the Red Sea and the apparent damage to royalties from the passage of ships in the Suez Canal.
As expected, the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, was crowned this week as the winner of the presidential elections that were held earlier this month, and will now enter his third consecutive term. He received 89.6% of the votes, while the three competing candidates who opposed him – and who until the elections were considered relatively unknown among the majority of the Egyptian public – shared the rest of the votes.
According to the National Elections Authority in Egypt, the voter turnout broke records and reached 66.8%. The establishment media praised the broad public response to the elections and their proper administration. However, independent media sites reported various irregularities, such as encouraging voting in exchange for money and creating "artificial queues" at the entrance of the polling stations. Some members of the opposition described the elections as a "show" and called for their boycott due to the exclusion of some candidates.
The elections provided an opportunity for the Egyptian regime to conduct a campaign that included a series of messages to the public, especially at a time when the country is weathering a severe economic crisis. Supporters of the regime noted the achievements of the President in his previous terms, including the eradication of terrorism in Sinai, improved living conditions in poor areas, a strengthened status of women, and empowerment of young people and those with disabilities. They emphasized the momentum of development registered in Egypt toward the construction of a "new republic" and the gradual democratization embodied in the plurality of candidates and opinions, processes that must be allowed to continue.
For their part, the opposition candidates received a media platform, even if more modest than that of the President, and voiced criticism – albeit measured – of the incumbent regime. Their proposals included, inter alia, increasing spending on health and education, strengthening of the private sector, increased independence of the judicial system, and the release of freedom of expression prisoners. Some of the candidates took a more hawkish line than the regime's toward Israel regarding the war in Gaza, and one tore up a picture of Prime Minister Netanyahu on a live broadcast.
President el-Sisi has also earned political capital from the war, which took a central place in the election campaign. His mobilization to repel what was described as an "Israeli plot" to displace the Palestinians from Gaza to Sinai, threaten Egypt's national security, and eliminate the Palestinian cause at its expense was presented as reflecting his ability to stand firm in the face of danger. The President's victory in the elections was explained as the unification of the Egyptian people around the candidate capable of providing the best protection for the homeland.
However, the President's main test awaits him outside the ballot box. In the near future, the regime will need public support for the economic reforms necessary for the Egyptian economy, as the International Monetary Fund conditions the continuation of loan assistance to Egypt on these reforms. In this sense, the stability of the political system in Egypt will contribute to the country's image abroad as well. Another weighty challenge the President will face is the tension in the Red Sea and the apparent damage to royalties from the passage of ships in the Suez Canal.