Egypt holding elections from Dec. 10-12, Sisi facing 3 opponents

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
10 Dec 2023 08:42

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is expected to compete for the presidency against three candidates, two of whom are close to him.

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi speaks while meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, at Al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo, Sunday October 15, 2023. (AP)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is running for his third term as the nation's presidential elections are being held from December 10-12 this week.

El-Sisi is expected to compete in the elections against three candidates.

The first is Abdel Sanad Yamama of the liberal Wafd Party, who has proposed economic, educational and legal reforms.

The head of the Republican People’s Party, former foreign ministry official and businessman Hazem Omar is the second candidate and the one with the most conservative approach, and is considered to be an el-Sisi advocate.

The third candidate is Farid Zahran of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party. Zahran is also close to el-Sisi and has previously helped him shape the political cabinet after he came to power.

El-Sisi became president after ousting then-President Mohamed Morsi during a coup, after which he served two terms.

Political play

The election was originally anticipated to take place in the spring of 2024, but it has been moved up, with some experts suggesting that the shift is intended to precede a potential transition to a more flexible currency exchange rate, a move that could further exacerbate social tensions in Egypt, and its population of 105 million.

El-Sisi has been playing a major role in the war on Gaza, as the only border - the Rafah border - that allows the entry of fuel and food into Gaza is under the control of the Egyptian government, however entry of aid into the Strip requires Israeli approval as per agreements between "Tel Aviv" and Cairo.

It is worth noting that Egypt categorically rejects the Israeli policy of forced displacement of the people of Gaza within the Strip or across the border into Eygpt's Sinai, the chairperson of the Egyptian State Information Service, Diaa Rashwan stated on December 7.

This comes as Sisi claimed Thursday that nearly 12,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid have been sent to Gaza via the Rafah crossing.

During a "solidarity with Palestine" conference in Cairo, El-Sisi expressed that the Rafah checkpoint will remain open "for humanitarian reasons to receive the sick and wounded and for medical care, food, and fuel to come there."