Egypt’s 2024 Presidential Elections: Candidates unveil plans to change people’s lives for the better

CAIRO – 15 November 2023: Millions of Egyptians are eligible to vote in Egypt’s 2024 Presidential Elections, which is scheduled to start two weeks from now.

According to the timetable announced by the National Election Authority, Egyptians residing abroad will cast their ballot in the elections from 1-3 December, while voting inside the country will take place from 10-12 December.

Four presidential candidates are competing in this election, including incumbent President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who has been in post for two terms since 2014.

Other candidates are Farid Zahran, head of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party; Abdel Sanad Yamama, Head of Al-Wafd Party, and Hazem Omar, head of the Republican People’s Party.

Currently, the candidates have started their political campaigns and electoral propaganda with their banners spreading across the Egyptian governorates.

The laws regulating the elections set the maximum ceiling for electoral propaganda in the presidential elections at LE 20 million ahead of the presidential race and LE 5 million in case runoff elections were required.

 

Improving people’s lives

Last week, Head of Sisi’s electoral campaign Mahmoud Fawzi. dismissed the spreading of negativity regarding plans to improve people’s lives, emphasizing that the economic challenges and crises do not paint the complete picture.

Fawzi urged comparing the past with the present to truly understand the progress that has been made.

He stated that the most challenging phase of economic reform has been completed, establishing a strong foundation for the state.

Fawzi highlighted the identification of reasons behind the problems and stressed the need to focus on manufacturing, employment, reducing imports, and increasing exports as the keys to success.

He assured that these goals are being pursued through scientific means, adding citizens will be able to experience an improvement in their living conditions in the short term.

Fawzi said that Sisi will present a vision that sets goals, and these goals can be achieved through various projects. emphasizing that actions speak louder than words.

He announced that the campaign will reveal the detailed vision of Sisi in a press conference later, covering political, economic, and societal aspects.

 

Meanwhile, Hazem Omar vowed to work on empowering the marginalized groups and the middle-class citizens within three years as they lead the public opinion and are vital for stability.

He added that youth under 30 years old represent 60 percent of the Egyptian population, adding that his presidential plans require ensuring a way out of the economic crisis and providing youth with job opportunities.

Abdel Sanad Yamama’s campaign said his program includes true reforms, including putting decisive solutions for the improvement of the educational process as a top priority.

Yamama said he will also focus on attracting foreign investments and supporting the private sector.

“We have to open the door for investors by bring back appropriate climate and for a true civil society,” Yamama said.

 

Deep economic measures

For his part, Zahran plans, in case of winning the elections, to limit the state’s ownership of agencies and institutions to strategic and important projects, such as the Suez Canal, iron and steel institutions, the aluminum complex, and electricity and water companies.

Moataz El-Shenawy, the official spokesman for the campaign of presidential candidate Farid Zahran, said this month that Zahran plans to postpone any new national projects and study the executive position of the ongoing projects.

Zahran will work to reduce unnecessary expenses for the presidency and the government, negotiate with creditors to schedule the debts owed by Egypt and place them in the debt restructuring initiative for African countries, Shenawy said.

Zahran plans to also commit the government to a strategy to reduce public debt, prevent borrowing from abroad, and finance projects with a clear economic return, Shenawy added.

Political reforms

Shenawy said if Zahran becomes president, he will issue a comprehensive presidential pardon for all prisoners of conscience, who do not have blood on their hands and who are not involved in violence.

 

The state under Zahran plans to also amend the laws of pretrial detention, criminal procedures, and terrorist entities, Shenawy said, vowing to use the power of the President of the Republic, with the participation of Parliament, in trying to consider the penalties imposed on political convicts.

How to vote in the elections?

In order to vote in the elections, you have to inquire about your polling station, which is determined based on your area of residence.

You can use one of five ways to know your polling station:

- First: Visit the election authority’s website: https://www.elections.eg/

- Second: Visit the authority’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/neaegypt/

- Third: Contact the authority via its email: elections@nea.gov.eg

- Fourth: Dial 141

- Fifth: Send an SMS on 5151

Meanwhile, Egyptian voters abroad have to visit the embassy or consulate in his country of residence with a national ID card or a valid passport to make sure he is registered in the voter database.

The voter will then take his ballot card to the place designated for voting in the embassy or consulate, where he can cast his vote with ease.