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Egypt's presidential election begins Egypt's presidential election begins
(about 4 hours later)
Egyptians are heading to the polls to vote for their fifth head of state since 2011, in a race that ex-army chief Abdel Fatah al-Sisi is expected to win easily. Egyptians are heading to the polls to vote for their fifth head of state since 2011, in a race that the former army chief Abdel Fatah al-Sisi is expected to win easily.
Sisi faces only one opponent – the veteran workers' activist Hamdeen Sabahi – after several would-be candidates pulled out, citing the impossibility of campaigning amid a crackdown on dissent. The Muslim Brotherhood, whose senior member Mohamed Morsi was removed as president by Sisi last summer, is boycotting the election.Sisi faces only one opponent – the veteran workers' activist Hamdeen Sabahi – after several would-be candidates pulled out, citing the impossibility of campaigning amid a crackdown on dissent. The Muslim Brotherhood, whose senior member Mohamed Morsi was removed as president by Sisi last summer, is boycotting the election.
Sisi, the head of military intelligence under Hosni Mubarak, has been backed by the army's top generals, almost all media outlets, and Egypt's business elite. At least 16,000 of his opponents are in jail, including the Muslim Brotherhood leaders he ousted last summer and many secular figureheads of the 2011 uprising that toppled Mubarak. Sisi, the head of military intelligence under Hosni Mubarak, has been backed by the army's top generals, almost all media outlets and Egypt's business elite. At least 16,000 of his opponents are in jail, including the Muslim Brotherhood leaders he ousted last summer and many secular figureheads of the 2011 uprising that toppled Mubarak.
Sisi also has the support of a significant section of the population, who praise him for overthrowing Morsi in July. Many of Morsi's opponents see a return to a strongman era as the only solution to more than three years of post-2011 political and economic chaos, which has seen life worsen for many Egyptians. Sisi also has the support of a significant section of the population, who praise him for overthrowing Morsi in July. Many of Morsi's opponents see a return to a strongman era as the only solution to more than three years of political and economic chaos.
"There's no one who can take this responsibility – of sailing the ship through rough seas – except Abdel Fatah al-Sisi," said Sayed Zayed, 73, a retired policeman from Sisi's home district in Gamaliya, central Cairo."There's no one who can take this responsibility – of sailing the ship through rough seas – except Abdel Fatah al-Sisi," said Sayed Zayed, 73, a retired policeman from Sisi's home district in Gamaliya, central Cairo.
Sisi's supporters claim the former field marshal, who retired from the army to run for office, is supported by an overwhelming majority of Egyptians. This week's two-day election is the first test of that claim, and as a result Sisi has pushed in recent days for a high turnout.Sisi's supporters claim the former field marshal, who retired from the army to run for office, is supported by an overwhelming majority of Egyptians. This week's two-day election is the first test of that claim, and as a result Sisi has pushed in recent days for a high turnout.
According to initial figures, Sisi has already received more than 90% of overseas votes, though what proportion of expatriates voted is not yet clear. A recent poll conducted by Pew Research suggested only a slim majority of Egyptians (54%) backed Sisi, although independent poll experts warned that such data was often unreliable in Egypt.According to initial figures, Sisi has already received more than 90% of overseas votes, though what proportion of expatriates voted is not yet clear. A recent poll conducted by Pew Research suggested only a slim majority of Egyptians (54%) backed Sisi, although independent poll experts warned that such data was often unreliable in Egypt.
Sabahi has billed himself as the candidate of Egypt's revolution. He says Sisi's opponents should vote for him to preserve what little political space remains in Egypt.Sabahi has billed himself as the candidate of Egypt's revolution. He says Sisi's opponents should vote for him to preserve what little political space remains in Egypt.
"We're not going to stand aside and wait for the situation to be ideal," he told the Guardian in an interview on Sunday. "We have to take part to make it ideal ourselves.""We're not going to stand aside and wait for the situation to be ideal," he told the Guardian in an interview on Sunday. "We have to take part to make it ideal ourselves."
But many of Sisi's critics see no point in validating what they consider a bogus process. They regard the election as simply a means of formally bestowing power on a man who has run the show behind the scenes since July.But many of Sisi's critics see no point in validating what they consider a bogus process. They regard the election as simply a means of formally bestowing power on a man who has run the show behind the scenes since July.
"Voting will legitimate their [the current regime's] crimes," said Yumna Hamdy Abdelrahman, a 27-year-old project manager who plans to boycott the election. "What's going on now is that you're labelling anyone with a different opinion as an enemy of the state – and that's not democracy at all.""Voting will legitimate their [the current regime's] crimes," said Yumna Hamdy Abdelrahman, a 27-year-old project manager who plans to boycott the election. "What's going on now is that you're labelling anyone with a different opinion as an enemy of the state – and that's not democracy at all."
In a speech on Sunday, Egypt's interim president, Adly Mansour, said the state was neutral in the race. "The state's official institutions, foremost of which the Egyptian presidency, stand at an equal distance from the two candidates and will not influence the choice of the citizens in any direction," said Mansour, a judge installed by Sisi after Morsi's removal.In a speech on Sunday, Egypt's interim president, Adly Mansour, said the state was neutral in the race. "The state's official institutions, foremost of which the Egyptian presidency, stand at an equal distance from the two candidates and will not influence the choice of the citizens in any direction," said Mansour, a judge installed by Sisi after Morsi's removal.
"Let us all participate tomorrow and the day after in expressing our free choice – to choose, without any form of guidance or direction, the candidate who you trust and are convinced is capable of building and leading the country.""Let us all participate tomorrow and the day after in expressing our free choice – to choose, without any form of guidance or direction, the candidate who you trust and are convinced is capable of building and leading the country."