Egypt: President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi wins reelection March 29 /update 5

Event

Preliminary results released on Thursday, March 29, showed President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi winning over 90 percent of the vote in Egypt's presidential elections. However, only 41 percent of the country's 60 million eligible voters went to the polls during the March 26-28 election. Reports say approximately 5 percent of the ballots were invalid, as some voters wrote-in unapproved candidates.

While minimal violence occurred during the election period, post-election protests and subsequent clashes with security personnel cannot be ruled out.

Context

Egypt’s current President Al-Sisi ran for re-election against the leader of the Ghad Party, Moussa Mostafa Moussa. It was expected that Al-Sisi would win a second term easily; Moussa had previously supported Al-Sisi for a second term before he emerged as a last-minute candidate following opposition withdrawals amid accounts of repression.

Advice

Individuals in Egypt are advised monitor for any developments, avoid any large gatherings due to the risk of associated violence, and to be extra vigilant throughout the post-election period. Adhere to all instructions issued by your embassy and/or local authorities.

In general, due to the prevailing threat of terrorism, individuals throughout Egypt should report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities and always be on guard when visiting sites deemed particularly vulnerable to an attack (e.g. public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, markets, hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners/Westerners, festivals, etc.). Some governments advise their nationals against all travel to the Sinai Peninsula due to the persistent terrorist threat.