Egyptian General Federation of Associations, NGO supports President Sisi for third term

CAIRO - 17 September 2023: The General Federation of Associations and NGOs, which consists of 27 regional federations and 30 specific ones, announced their support for incumbent President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to run for a third term in the 2024 presidential election.

The Federation affirmed their support for the President’s achievements in various fields, including development, infrastructure, education, health, energy, agriculture, industry and technology, stressing that these achievements reflect a strategic vision to build a strong and advanced state that meets the aspirations of its people.

The Federation added that the masses of the people will stand by President Sisi, wishing success and progress for Egypt.

“This decision came based on the importance of the constitutional entitlement related to the upcoming presidential elections in 2024, and the importance of positive participation [in the election],” the Federation said in the statement.

In late August, the Coalition of Egyptian Parties announced backing President Sisi’s potential candidacy in the next elections. In a statement, the coalition said its decision to back Sisi’s potential candidacy in the elections came after a meeting attended by leaders and members of 40 political parties and political and public figures.

The coalition called for Sisi to run for president in the next elections in a document signed by 37 political parties, including the Sadat Democratic Party, the Egyptian National Movement Party and Al-Mesreyin Party.

Many political parties have earlier announced support to President Sisi’s potential candidacy, including the parliamentary majority party Mostaqbal Watan, the liberal Congress Party, the liberal Free Egyptians Party and the Homat Watan Party (Protectors of the Nation).

El-Ghad Party, led by Sisi’s previous presidential contender Moussa Mostafa Moussa, also announced Sisi as their potential presidential candidate in the next elections.

Third presidential term

The constitution does not give the right for a president to run for a third term.

However, constitutional amendments in 2019 stretched the presidential term to six years instead of four. Therefore, Sisi has been serving a six-year term since 2018 and exceptionally has the right to run for a third six-year term until 2030.

Several leading figures from renowned political parties have also announced plans to run for elections, including Abdel-Sanad Yamama, head of El-Wafd Party and Hazem Oman, head of the People’s Republican Party.

The National Election Authority (NEA) has not yet announced the schedule for the upcoming presidential election, with the process expected to start by the end of this year.