The three other candidates are all relative unknowns among the public: Farid Zahran, leader of the left-leaning Egyptian Social Democratic Party; Abdel-Sanad Yamama, from the Wafd, a century-old but relatively marginal party; and Hazem Omar, from the Republican People’s Party.
Of the trio, Omar appeared to come out on top during a televised debate between the candidates. Sisi did not attend and sent an MP in his place.
Two more prominent opposition figures had attempted to run but were quickly sidelined by the government. Today, one is in prison and the other is awaiting trial.
The journalist and activist Khaled Dawoud criticised what he said was a “stifling atmosphere of suppressed liberties, total control of the media and security services that prevent the opposition from operating on the streets”.
“We are not kidding ourselves, the vote will be … neither credible nor fair,” he wrote on Facebook.
However, he added he would vote for Zahran in order to “send a clear message to the regime” that “we want change” because “after 10 years, the living conditions of Egyptians have deteriorated and we risk bankruptcy because of its policies”.
PAINFUL REFORMS
Sisi, a retired field marshall in the Egyptian army, came to power in 2013 after leading the overthrow of elected president Mohamed Morsi following mass protests.
In both the 2014 and 2018 elections, he won landslide victories with over 96 per cent of the vote, according to official results.
He later extended the presidential mandate from four to six years and amended the constitution to raise the limit on consecutive terms in office from two to three.
Given that context, turnout is likely to be a key indicator of public sentiment. At the last election it fell six points to 41.5 per cent.
Source: CNA
