Egypt's parliamentary majority party Mostaqbal Watan backs Sisi’s running for re-election: Statement

CAIRO – 23 August 2023: Egypt’s parliamentary majority party Mostaqbal Watan announced on Wednesday support for incumbent President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to run for another presidential term in the upcoming elections.

The decision comes in light of the party’s “support to all achievements made during the tenure of Mr. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi,” the party said in a statement.

The party’s support to Sisi also comes in order to ensure the continuation of the path of development and construction led by the president and the road toward the New Republic with the aim of providing decent life for Egyptian people and preserve their cohesion.

The party highlighted Sisi’s tenure over the past ten years, “which witnessed unprecedented hard circumstances and great challenges.”

The party also affirmed that Egypt has managed under Sisi’s presidency and with the solidarity of people, the Armed Forces and the police to eliminate terrorism and achieve security and stability,

Sisi has also enhanced the path of comprehensive development in the political, economic, social and international fields, managing to bring Egypt back to its normal position worldwide, the party added.

A number of political parties have earlier announced support to President Sisi’s potential candidacy, including the liberal Free Egyptians Party and the Homat Watan Party (Protectors of the Nation).

The three parties have been supportive of Sisi’s policies in all fields over the past decade.

Sisi, elected in 2014 and re-elected in 2018, has not yet confirmed plans to run for a third 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.