Just hours ago, the National Election Authority declared that Abdel Fattah El-Sisi had secured 89.6% of the votes in an election, in which he won by a long shot since he had no credible opponents, earning him a third, six-year term as president of Egypt.
Egypt held three days of voting on December 10–12, with the government and closely monitored domestic media working hard to increase turnout, which the election authority reported had reached 66.8%, higher than the 41% recorded at the country’s previous presidential election in 2018.
There were three other candidates in the election, although none of them were well-known. The most well-known rival to El-Sisi had withdrawn from the race back in October, claiming that his supporters had been singled out by authorities and thugs. The National Election Authority rejected these claims.
Authorities have denied breaking any electoral laws, while Egypt’s state media agency has declared that the vote was a step toward political pluralism.
The election was held as Egypt attempts to contain the potential fallout from the conflict in Gaza, which borders Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, as well as grapples with a slowly worsening economic crisis.
Several voters stated that the escalation of hostilities in Gaza had prompted them to cast their ballots for El-Sisi. Sisi has consistently positioned himself as the guardian of stability in this volatile region, which was repeatedly proven compelling as evidenced by the financial backing his government receives from Western and Gulf allies.
