Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi swept to a second term with 97 percent of valid votes, official results showed on Monday, dominating an election last week that saw him face no serious rivals.
Lasheen Ibrahim, head of the election authority, told a news conference that turnout was 41.05 percent of the almost 60 million registered voters, down from the 2014 vote that saw al-Sisi claim the presidency.
Ibrahim said 92.73 percent of the votes were valid from about 24 million cast, while almost 2 million ballots were spoiled.
Photo: EPA
Al-Sisi’s sole rival and an erstwhile supporter, Moussa Mostafa Moussa, won 2.92 percent of the valid votes, Ibrahim said.
Moussa entered the election at the very last moment after first leading a re-election campaign for al-Sisi, saving the vote from having just one candidate.
The president’s serious contenders either withdrew, were sidelined or were detained.
In a brief victory speech broadcast on Monday evening on state television, al-Sisi sent “greetings, appreciation, and respect” to Egyptians.
He promised “to continue my oath to be loyal in my work, not sparing any effort in order to advance our nation.”
He also conveyed his “thanks and appreciation to Moussa Mostafa Moussa, who led an honest and civilized competition.”
As for Moussa, he said at a press conference that “the most important thing is that Egypt has won.”
Hundreds of supporters took to the streets in Cairo and other cities, waving the Egyptian flag and singing patriotic songs to celebrate al-Sisi winning another four years in power.
US President Donald Trump “congratulated” al-Sisi on his victory in a telephone call, the White House said in a statement that did not mention any worries over the fairness of the vote.
“The two leaders affirmed the strategic partnership between the United States and Egypt, and noted that they look forward to advancing this partnership and addressing common challenges,” it said.
Earlier, US Department of State spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the US “will continue to work to advance our shared objectives” with Egypt, despite its concerns over political freedom.
However, Nauert added: “We have noted reports of constraints on freedoms of expression and association in the run-up to the elections.”
Four Egyptian rights groups, including the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies and the Nadeem Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence, denounced the electoral process in a statement late on Monday.
The election commission “lost its political legitimacy by watching the electoral process as it transformed into a debacle beleaguered by the worst political and security thuggery ever witnessed in an Egyptian election since 1952,” they said.
Al-Sisi, who as army chief ousted Egypt’s first freely elected president Mohamed Morsi after mass street protests in 2013, won his first term in 2014 with 96.9 percent of valid votes.
That year’s turnout of 47 percent was sharply higher than this year’s 41 percent, despite official appeals for voters to fulfil their patriotic duty.
Ibrahim was effusive about the vote regardless of the perceived lack of competition and the low attendance.
“These are momentous moments for this nation ... which will be written in letters of light, under the title: battle for the love of Egypt,” Ibrahim said as he announced the results.
“The entire world heard your chants for the love of Egypt,” he said.
People who boycotted the election and cannot show a good reason for missing the vote could face a fine of up to 500 Egyptian pounds (US$28.30), the electoral commission said.
Opposition groups had called for a boycott of last week’s vote, which they labeled a facade.
FRAUD ALLEGED: The leader of an opposition alliance made allegations of electoral irregularities and called for a protest in Tirana as European leaders are to meet Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party scored a large victory in parliamentary elections, securing him his fourth term, official results showed late on Tuesday. The Socialist Party won 52.1 percent of the vote on Sunday compared with 34.2 percent for an alliance of opposition parties led by his main rival Sali Berisha, according to results released by the Albanian Central Election Commission. Diaspora votes have yet to be counted, but according to initial results, Rama was also leading there. According to projections, the Socialist Party could have more lawmakers than in 2021 elections. At the time, it won 74 seats in the
A Croatian town has come up with a novel solution to solve the issue of working parents when there are no public childcare spaces available: pay grandparents to do it. Samobor, near the capital, Zagreb, has become the first in the country to run a “Grandmother-Grandfather Service,” which pays 360 euros (US$400) a month per child. The scheme allows grandparents to top up their pension, but the authorities also hope it will boost family ties and tackle social isolation as the population ages. “The benefits are multiple,” Samobor Mayor Petra Skrobot told reporters. “Pensions are rather low and for parents it is sometimes
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
CANCER: Jose Mujica earned the moniker ‘world’s poorest president’ for giving away much of his salary and living a simple life on his farm, with his wife and dog Tributes poured in on Tuesday from across Latin America following the death of former Uruguayan president Jose “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-guerrilla fighter revered by the left for his humility and progressive politics. He was 89. Mujica, who spent a dozen years behind bars for revolutionary activity, lost his battle against cancer after announcing in January that the disease had spread and he would stop treatment. “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our comrade Pepe Mujica. President, activist, guide and leader. We will miss you greatly, old friend,” Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi wrote on X. “Pepe, eternal,” a cyclist shouted out minutes later,
RSS