Egypt Sets Presidential Election For December 10 To 12

Egyptian election officials announced on Monday that the country will hold its presidential vote from December 10 to 12, a decision that comes as Egypt grapples with a severe economic crisis. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who has been in power for nearly a decade, has not formally declared his candidacy, but state-affiliated media has already shown support from pro-government entities. Sisi, aged 68, was initially elected in 2014, a year after he led the removal of the elected Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi. He secured another landslide victory in the 2018 election, even though he ran against a candidate who supported him. At present, only two other candidates have declared their intention to run, including opposition politician Ahmed al-Tantawi, who has been vocal about facing harassment from security forces. The decision to hold the election earlier than expected, initially anticipated for the spring of 2024, has raised suspicions. Some experts believe it was moved forward to precede a potential switch to a flexible exchange rate, which could exacerbate social tensions in the country of 105 million. The election timeline is as follows: candidates can apply starting in October, the final candidate list will be confirmed by November 9, the campaign period runs until November 29, and the winner will be announced on December 18. The upcoming election is already marred by allegations of repression and harassment of potential candidates. Rights groups report that at least 35 of Tantawi's supporters have been detained. He claims his phone has been under surveillance since September 2021, an attack attributed to the Egyptian government by the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab. Egypt's worst-ever economic crisis, which began early last year, has further complicated the political landscape. The currency has lost half its value since March 2022, leading to rising consumer prices in the import-dependent economy. Inflation reached a record high of 39.7 percent in August. The International Monetary Fund approved a $3 billion loan for Egypt last year, contingent on a shift to a flexible exchange rate regime, a measure the government has yet to fully implement. To alleviate the economic challenges, Sisi's government has introduced social protection measures and raised the minimum wage, but the crisis continues to grip the nation.