Egypt: Abdel Fattah al-Sissi invested for a 3rd term

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi officially began his third six-year term after being sworn in before parliament on Tuesday April 2, 2024.

Despite criticism of the democratic nature of the electoral process that returned him to power, Abdel Fattah al-Sissi was sworn in for a third term on Tuesday. His overwhelming victory with 89.6% of the votes in last December's elections was widely anticipated, especially since his opponents were considered marginal political figures, barely present during the electoral campaign.

The inauguration ceremony took place in the new Egyptian administrative capital, located in the desert outside Cairo. Al-Sissi, who first assumed the presidency in 2014, was re-elected in 2018. His ambitions for a third term were made possible by constitutional amendments adopted in a general referendum that not only extended his previous mandate by two years, but also and above all, allowed him to run for a third mandate of six years.

Despite the government's efforts to promote these elections as a step towards democracy, international organizations and observers have expressed doubts about their transparency and fairness. According to some critics, political freedoms in Egypt continue to be restricted, with arrests of dissidents and severe restrictions on press freedom.