Egypt will hold Presidential elections, initially planned for next year, on 10-12 December, the elections authority announced on 25 September. With President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi having crushed the opposition he is expected to comfortably win to secure a third consecutive term despite the country’s current financial turmoil that has seen it turn to the IMF, World Bank and its Gulf allies for financial assistance (MEES, 24 March).
President Sisi was first elected in 2014 following the ouster of Muslim Brotherhood-backed President Mohammed Morsi, and was re-elected with 97% of the vote in 2018. The following year the former army strongman oversaw constitutional changes which allowed candidates to run for a third term, also extending the length of the term to six years from four. (CONTINUED - 120 WORDS)