Egypt directs diplomatic missions to issue candidate endorsements during holidays

CAIRO - 29 September 2023: The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has directed its diplomatic missions worldwide to remain open during official holidays and weekends, starting from today, the 28th.

This move aims to continuously issue endorsement forms for presidential election candidates, scheduled to be held on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd of December overseas. Notably, these endorsements will be issued free of charge.

Following the directive, Egyptian embassies and consulates abroad have released announcements on their social media pages. They are informing Egyptian citizens about the availability of endorsement form issuance and documentation services for the presidential election candidates during today's celebration of the Prophet Muhammad's birth (Mawlid al-Nabi) on the 28th, as well as during weekends and all other official holidays.

Endorsement forms play a critical role in the Egyptian electoral process. Potential presidential candidates must secure a specific number of endorsements from citizens to qualify for the official ballot. With the upcoming presidential elections, the Egyptian government is ensuring that its citizens residing abroad have every opportunity to participate in this crucial endorsement process.

The decision to keep embassies and consulates open during holidays reflects the government's commitment to facilitating overseas participation in the democratic process.