Live Update: Egyptian expatriates vote on constitutional amendments

CAIRO – 19 April 2019: Egyptian expatriates started a three-day voting on the new constitutional amendments in 140 embassies and consulates of 125 countries worldwide, amid massive campaigning for the amendments abroad and domestically.

The amendments include a “transitional article” that allows President Sisi to remain in power until 2024; Sisi will also have the right to run for a new 6-year term. The amendments also give the president the right to choose heads of courts, judicial bodies, the Supreme Constitutional Court, and the Attorney General, Egypt's top prosecutor from some nominees.

Immediately after the Egyptian House of Representatives approved the new amendments to the 2014 Constitution on Tuesday, head of the National Election Authority (NEA) Lachine Ibrahim, called on the Egyptian expatriates to vote in the planned referendum on constitutional amendments from Friday, April 19, to Sunday, April 21. Meanwhile, a total of 61 million eligible voters were called for casting their ballots in the public referendum domestically started on Sunday for three successive days.

There will be a judge to supervise each of the ballot boxes, Ibrahim said, affirming that the NEA, the body charged with managing the electoral process, is keen to ensure the transparency of the voting process.

Egypt’s Ministry of Migration allocated hotlines for Egyptian expatriates to receive any complaints or questions related to the three-day public referendum.

Egyptian expatriates could contact the Ministry of Migration on the following phone numbers: +201289850655/ +201017071810 / +201159476593. They also can contact the ministry via mail: Info.elections@emigration.gov.eg , the minister said in a statement on Thursday.

Live update

16:22 - London
Egyptian expats continue flocking to the Egyptian embassy in London to vote on the new amendments.


Egyptian expats celebrate after casting their votes in the public referendum on the constitutional amendments- press photo


15:22 - USA and Canada

Egyptian embassy in Washington and Ottawa and consulate in New York opened their doors for the Egyptian expats to ballot their votes on the amendments.

Egyptian expats head from New Jersey to New York to vote in the constitutional amendments- press photo


Egyptian ambassador to Canada ballots his vote- Press Photo


14:34- Jordan
Egyptian expats in Jordan after cast their votes in the public referendum on the constitutional amendments. Jordan is one of the Arab countries that host large number of Egyptian community.


Egyptian expats, who are working at the petroleum sector in Jordan, pose for a picture after casting their ballots


14:32 - Morocco

Members of the Egyptian community in Morocco voted in the headquarters of the embassy in Rabat on draft constitutional amendments.

13:46 - Qatar

Egyptian citizens in Qatar headed to the Egyptian Embassy in Doha to vote on the new amendments to the Egyptian Constitution.

13:18 - Afghanistan

Members of the Egyptian community in Afghanistan voted in the headquarters of the embassy in Kabul on draft constitutional amendments.

12:32 - Germany

The Egyptian Embassy in Berlin on Friday witnessed a high turnout of voters who flocked to the embassy to cast their ballots on the new amendments to the Egyptian Constitution.


Egyptian expats and Egyptian ambassador to Germany Badr Abdel-Atti pose for a picture after casting their votes on the constitutional amendments - press photo


The voting process in Germany is being supervised by Egyptian ambassador to Germany Badr Abdel Atty and will last until April 21.

12:21 - Iran

Members of the Egyptian community in Iran voted on Friday in the headquarters of the “Egyptian Interest Section in Tehran” on draft constitutional amendments despite bad weather embodied in rain, wind, and the possibility of thunderstorms.

11:56 - India

Members of the Egyptian community in India voted on the constitutional amendments in the headquarters of the embassy in New Delhi on Friday.


An Egyptian woman casts her vote in the Egyptian embassy in New Delhi - press photo

11:40 - Switzerland

The Egyptian embassy in Bern opened its door for the Egyptian expats to vote on the amendments.

11:28 - South Africa

Egyptians headed to the Egyptian Embassy in South Africa’s Pretoria to cast their ballots on the new amendments to the Egyptian Constitution.

Egyptian ambassador to South Africa Sherif Eissa has affirmed that the Egyptian embassy in South Africa has finished all the necessary preparations to facilitate and enable Egyptians to participate in the voting process.

11:00 - New Zealand
Voting process on the constitutional amendments ended in New Zealand after the embassy opened its door for the voters since 11:00 p.m. on Thursday (Cairo local time).

Egyptian ambassador in New Zealand Tarek al-Wasimi told Egypt Today the embassy saw a high turnout.

10:00 - Italy
After casting their ballots at the Egyptian embassy and consulate in Rome and Milan respectively, Egyptian expats celebrated their participating into the public referendum on the constitutional amendments.



09:15 – The UAE
The Egyptian embassy in Dubai saw high turnout of voters, who cast their ballots on the amendments. Some voters sent Egypt Today their photos inside the embassy to share their moment of voting.


Egyptian expats head to the Egyptian embassy in Dubai to vote on the constitutional amendments - press photo


09:01 – Bahrain
Expatriates of the Egyptian community in Bahrain headed to Manama-based embassy to
08:33 – Kuwait
Expatriates outside the Egyptian embassy in Kuwait lined up in a long queue, waiting to cast their votes on the constitutional amendments.



08:30 – Lebanon
The Egyptian embassy in Beirut received Egyptian expatriates to vote in the public referendum. Also the member of diplomatic staff cast their ballot.


Egyptian family at the Egyptian embassy in Beirut to vote on the new constitutional amendments- press photo



An expatriate casts his vote on the new constitutional amendments at the Egyptian embassy in Beirut- press photo


08:24 - Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, where hosts the largest Egyptian community in the Arab world, Egyptian expatriates cast their votes in Riyadh-based embassy amid high turnout.


Egyptian expats participate in a three-day voting on the new constitutional amendments in Riyadh-based embassy - press photo


08:21 – Iraq
Egyptian expatriates in Iraq headed to vote. Egyptian ambassador to Iraq Alaa Morsi and a dipmoatic mission also cast their ballots.


Egyptian ambassador to Iraq Alaa Morsi casts his vote on the constitutional amendments- press photo


08:19 - Oman Sultanate
Many Egyptian citizens cast their votes normally at the Egyptian embassy in Muscat, Egyptian ambassador to the Sultanate told Extra News, he added that the number of voters could rise after Friday Prayer.



An expat casts his vote on the constitutional amendments- press poto

He added that the embassy is encouraging the Egyptian expatriates and their relatives to vote in the referendum.

Early Friday, the Egyptian embassies in Australia, New Zealand, and South Koreas receives Egyptian expatriates to vote in the referendum on constitutional amendments.
The first cities of which the public referendum has kicked off includes; Wellington’s New Zealand, Canberra and Sydney in Australia, Seoul of South Korea, Tokyo of Japan and China’s Capital Beijing according to their local timing.


Egyptian expats vote on the constitutional amendments in Asturias - press photo


New Zealand was the first country to welcome Egyptians to cast their ballot.