Egyptians residing abroad began casting votes Saturday in the country’s first parliamentary election since the 2013 military overthrow of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. Egypt’s state-run news wire MENA said embassies and consulates in 139 countries will be open for two days of voting.
The vote is staggered, with polling in half of Egypt’s governorates set to start Sunday. The election will take place in two phases, concluding in early December. President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi called on Egyptians to vote in a televised speech Saturday.
“Line up in front of polling stations and plant with your votes the hope for a bright tomorrow for our new Egypt,” he said.
Voting will go forward in Egypt under heavy security, in light of regular militant attacks since Morsi’s ouster. At least 185,000 military troops will secure the election in the first phase, MENA reported. Interior Ministry spokesman Abu Bakr Abdel-Karim said they will be joined by 180,000 police.
Few candidates have broad recognition or clear platforms, and most have a pro-government bent.
“There are no big issues being discussed because that’s not the nature of it … it’s not an election of ideas,” said Khaled Dawoud, a prominent member of the center-left Dostour party. “They are competing over who will be the new president’s men.”
Political parties are heavily disadvantaged by an election law, passed by presidential decree last year. Seventy-five percent of the assembly is reserved for candidates running as individuals, races in which prominent, wealthy government-affiliated power brokers have a presumed advantage.
