Egypt's next presidential poll scheduled for December this year

Egypt's long-awaited presidential poll will officially be held in December 2023 as citizens seeking to run for the country's top political position can also seek candidacy from 5 – 14 October this year.   

Judge Walid Hamza, head of the National Election Authority, told reporters in Cairo on Monday that Egyptian expatriates will cast their vote on 1, 2 and 3 December, while the citizens will be able to vote locally on 10, 11 and 12 in the same month.

Legally, the presidential poll has to be held ahead of 15 January 2024, the day on which the mandate of the National Election Authority expires.

In case of a runoff, the vote will occur on 5, 6, and 7 January next year outside the country and on 8, 9, and 10 inside the country.

The Egyptian constitution stipulates that presidential candidates must secure endorsements from 20 MPs or 25,000 registered voters in at least 15 provinces, with a minimum of 1,000 endorsements from each province.

While President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi has not yet publicly announced his intention to run for a third term, several political parties have recently voiced their support for his candidacy.

Previous presidential elections held since Sisi's 2013 military coup have given improbable majorities for Sisi and have been marked by the arrest of rival candidates.

A total of seven political figures have recently expressed their intention to compete in the presidential race, with observers predicting their chances to win the seat to be minimal ahead of Sisi, reportedly known for controlling the army and the judiciary.

Perhaps the strongest candidate ahead of Sisi's reelection is former MP Ahmed Tantawy, even though experts believe his chances to win the country's highest political position remain minimal.  

Human rights groups reported that at least 35 of Tantawi's registered campaign volunteers had recently been detained by the country's national security agency. 

Last week, long-time activist and politician Gameela Ismail, chairperson of the liberal El-Dostour opposition party, declared her intent to run for presidency to become the only woman joining the race.

This year's election comes amid severe socio-economic instability and the worst crackdown on human rights witnessed in decades.

Last October, the Central Bank of Egypt imposed exchange rate flexibility, allowing the value of the Egyptian pound to be regulated by market forces. The change aimed to save Egypt's already ailing economy after securing a US$3 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The US dollar is currently valued at 30.95 in banks and currency exchange offices, but it is worth about 40 EGP on the black market. Egypt's annual headline inflation hit 39.7 per cent last month compared to 38.2 per cent in the previous one, as the prices of basic necessities have continued to soar, taking a heavy toll on low and average-income households.