‘Mostakbal Wattan’ promotes Sisi's candidacy in Milan

CAIRO - 26 January 2018: Mostakbal Wattan” (Homeland’s Future) campaign has organized a meeting with the Egyptian community in Milan, Italy on Friday to promote the election of Abdel Fatah al-Sisi for a second term in Egypt’s upcoming presidential election in March, according to a statement made by head of the campaign's Egyptian communities abroad committee, Mahmoud Hussein on Friday.

During the meeting, Hussein reviewed the projects that have been executed in Egypt in different sectors, including education, transportation and developing rural areas, during Sisi’s tenure.

Ugo Vecchiarelli, mayor of Bresso, Italy, attended the meeting and confirmed the importance of the mutual relations between Egypt and Italy, and the need to continue communications between the Egyptian community and the Italian civil society organizations, the statement said.

The attendees from Milan and other parts of Italy expressed their opinions by offering some suggestions concerning car licenses and health insurance for Egyptians abroad, as well as how to refund their pensions after they retire or come back to Egypt.

According to the latest census by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), 560,000 Egyptians live in Italy, which is considered 44% of Egyptians living in Europe, the largest Egyptian community in Europe.

The National Electoral Authority (NEA) announced the 2018 presidential election timeline on January 8. Potential candidates are allowed to submit their applications between January 20 and 29. The final list of the candidates will be announced on February 24.

Voting will take place for three days starting March 26 domestically, while it will begin on March 16 for expats from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in each country’s local time. The winning candidate will be announced on April 2.