President el-Sisi declared victorious in Egypt election

DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY,

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has secured a third term as leader of the Middle East’s most populous nation, officials said, after the counting of votes in the election held on December 10 was finalised.

Sisi won 89.6 percent of the vote, the National Elections Authority said on Monday.

Polling had closed on Tuesday in Egypt after the three-day election in the Arab world’s most populous country.

The vote, the result of which was in little doubt, took place as Egypt dealt with various crises, including the Israel-Hamas war in neighbouring Gaza and the country’s worst-ever economic crisis.

The results strengthened Sisi’s power, which he took over after the 2013 overthrow of the country’s first popularly elected president, Mohamed Morsi. He was re-elected in 2018. In both previous elections he won with 97% of the vote.

International monitors have criticised Egypt’s human rights record under Sisi’s rule, accusing the government of repressing political freedoms during a crackdown, in which rights groups say tens of thousands have been jailed.

This is a developing story. More updates to follow.