Elections in Egypt are held over three days from December 10 to 12, 2023, with current President and former military leader Abdel Fattah el-Sisi expected to win a third term, extending his rule into a second decade. Public interest in Egypt has shifted from the economic crisis facing the country to the war in Gaza in the period leading up to the elections. Below are some facts about the electoral process:
* **Voting:** Voting in Egypt takes place from December 10 to 12. Egyptians abroad voted from December 1 to December 3. Results are scheduled to be announced on December 18, with a requirement for one candidate to secure an absolute majority to avoid a runoff in early January. El-Sisi won the previous two presidential elections in 2014 and 2018, receiving 97% of the votes. According to the National Election Authority, around 67 million Egyptians over the age of 18 are eligible to vote out of a total population of 104 million. Certain individuals, including those with mental illnesses or those convicted of crimes such as tax evasion and political corruption, are prohibited from voting.
* **Candidates:** The candidates in the election include President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who has been in office since 2014; Fard Zahran, head of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party representing the center-left; Abdel Sond el-Yemama, head of the liberal Wafd Party; and Hazem Omar, head of the Republican People's Party. Ahmed el-Tantawy, a prominent opposition candidate, withdrew in October after complaining about the arrest of dozens of his supporters and about interference in his campaign by government officials and lawbreakers. The National Election Authority in Egypt stated that it is reviewing Tantawy's complaints and that such allegations are unfounded.
* **Oversight:** The National Election Authority is responsible for overseeing and managing all elections and referendums in Egypt. Elections will be conducted under judicial oversight, and accredited local and foreign civil society organizations will be allowed to monitor the voting, according to the Authority.
* **Presidential Term:** Constitutional amendments made in 2019 extended the presidential term from four years to six years. The amendments abolished a clear provision prohibiting any president from serving more than two terms and replaced it with a clause stating that no person may hold the presidency for more than two consecutive terms. The amendments also included a clause allowing the extension of Sisi's second term to six years instead of four and enabling him to run for a third term under the new rules. Sisi is the fourth former military leader to assume power in Egypt since Gamal Abdel Nasser and a group of army officers overthrew the monarchy in 1952. Nasser became president in 1954, followed by Anwar Sadat after Nasser's death in 1970. Sadat remained in power until his assassination in 1981. Hosni Mubarak, Sadat's vice president, ruled from 1981 until he was ousted in a popular uprising after nearly three decades in power. During Sadat's reign, amendments were made to restrict the presidency to two terms, but this was later abolished.
