Egypt’s El-Sisi re-elected president for third term; Prime Minister Modi congratulates

As Egypt faced several crises, including the war between Israel and Hamas in neighboring Gaza and the country’s worst-ever economic crisis, Sisi won, even though there was little doubt about the outcome.

Cairo: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi appears poised for a resounding triumph in the country’s presidential elections scheduled for Monday, securing a mandate for a third term at the helm of the Middle East’s most populous country, it said latest report from ANI.

After counting votes between December 10 and 12, Egypt’s National Election Authority said Sisi had won 89.6 percent of the vote. Turnout reached an “unprecedented” 66.8 percent of voters, said Hazem Badawy, head of the authority. In addition, more than 39 million Egyptians voted for Sisi, a former army leader who has been ruling the most populous Arab country for ten years, according to Al Jazeera.

As Egypt faced several crises, including the war between Israel and Hamas in neighboring Gaza and the country’s worst-ever economic crisis, Sisi won, even though there was little doubt about the outcome. A decade-long crackdown on dissent, despite Egypt’s challenges, has reportedly eliminated any serious opposition to Sisi, the fifth president to emerge from the ranks of the military since 1952, Al Jazeera reported.

Sisi ran against three other candidates, none of whom played a prominent role, according to Al Jazeera. However, he ended his run complaining that his campaign had been hampered and dozens of his supporters had been arrested. In addition, runner-up Hazem Omar, leader of the Republican People’s Party, received 4.5 percent of the votes.

Next up were Farid Zahran, leader of Egypt’s left-wing Social Democratic Party, and Abdel-Sanad Yamama of the Wafd, a centuries-old but relatively marginal party, according to Al Jazeera.
Sisi will now serve his third – and constitutionally final – term in office, starting in April. However, in both previous elections, Sisi won with 97 percent of the vote.
Sisi extended the presidential term from four to six years and amended the constitution to increase the limit on consecutive terms from two to three, Al Jazeera reported.

Notably, Egypt has jailed thousands of political prisoners under Sisi’s rule, and while a presidential pardon commission has released around a thousand people in one year, human rights groups say many have been arrested three to four times in the same period.

Prime Minister Modi congratulates el-Sisi on his re-election

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated Egyptian presidential election winner Abdel Fattah el-Sisi for the third time and expressed his hope to further deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Prime Minister Modi told I look forward to working with you to further deepen the strategic partnership between India and Egypt.”

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is on course to a landslide victory in Egypt’s presidential elections on Monday, securing a third term as leader of the Middle East’s most populous country, Al Jazeera reports. After counting votes between December 10 and 12, Egypt’s National Election Authority said Sisi had won 89.6 percent of the vote.

(With input from agencies)