Three-day presidential election in Egypt ends
The three-day presidential election in Egypt is drawing to a close on Tuesday with a similar turnout to previous years. On Monday, the electoral authority stated that voter turnout had been around 45 percent so far.
Turnout was high in all parts of the country, with some polling stations even running out of ballot papers. According to the authority, the election, which has been running since Sunday, went "smoothly overall without any problems or hurdles for voters". In the 2018 and 2014 presidential elections, voter turnout was 41.5 and 47.5 percent respectively.
The war in the neighboring Gaza Strip, which has been going on for more than two months, overshadows the election - and plays into the hands of incumbent Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. He can present himself as the one who makes aid deliveries to the Palestinians via the Rafah border crossing possible. At the same time, the government is strictly opposed to the idea of taking in large numbers of Palestinian refugees in Egypt. Al-Sisi justifies this with a threat to Egypt's security and says that this would undermine the fight for a separate Palestinian state.
Another victory for Al-Sisi, who came to power in 2013 following a military coup, is considered certain. According to critics, there is hardly any serious opposition left in Egypt. Time and again, human rights organizations complain that dissidents are sentenced to long prison terms on what they see as unfounded accusations. The US organization Freedom House, which examines the level of freedom and democracy in countries around the world, describes civil rights in Egypt as "severely restricted".
Thanks to a constitutional amendment in 2019, Al-Sisi is allowed to run for a third term in office, which has also been extended from four to six years - meaning it is likely to last until 2030. The only serious rival candidate, Ahmed al-Tantaui, withdrew his candidacy following reports of harassment and violence against his supporters. The Egyptian authorities deny the allegations. Al-Tantaui is currently on trial with 21 associates. They are accused of violating formal procedures during the election.
The election results are due to be announced on December 18.
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Source: www.ntv.de
