Presidential election in Egypt: 4 candidates in the running and a participation of 67 million voters

Voting for the presidential election began in Egypt’s 27 governorates on Sunday, December 10, 2023. In total, 11,631 polling stations across 9,376 electoral centers were opened for the 67 million voters.

The country of the pharaohs is embarking on a democratic process with presidential elections. On Sunday, voters rushed to voting centers in the early hours, forming queues in front of Cairo polling stations. Under strict judicial control and international oversight, as many as 15,000 judges and an impressive cadre of 220 international observers, as well as 22,340 local civil society observers, are overseeing the process to ensure its integrity.

In total, four candidates are vying for the vote, with current President Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi in the lead, seeking to extend his presidential term. Other candidates, such as Hazem Omar, Abdel-Sanad Yamama, and Farid Zahran, offer alternatives through their diverse political visions.

This election is also characterized by a desire to guarantee the right to vote for all, with special provisions for hearing and visually impaired people, as well as for expatriates and those displaced between governorates. This democratic opening extends over three days, thus allowing maximum participation of Egyptian citizens, even those far from their usual place of residence.

The results of the foreign elections, already held in early December, will be revealed on December 18 at the same time as those of the internal vote. If Al-Sisi were to be re-elected, he could retain his position until 2030, in accordance with the constitutional amendment extending the length of presidential terms.