El-Sisi expects endorsement for his ongoing mandate
Polling stations will be open for three days and Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, a former military commander, has urged Egyptians participate, hinting that he sees the election as a referendum on his four-year rule.
While many Egyptians regards the U.S.-allied leadership as vital factor to stability in a country where unrest since 2011 has hurt the economy, critics say he has presided over Egypt’s worst ever crackdown on dissent and have dubbed the vote a charade.
General El-Sisi (63), who led the military coup d’état of Egypt’s first democratically elected President Mohamed Mursi in 2013, has cast his bid for a second term as a vote for stability and security.
However a low turnout could suggest El-Sisi enters legitimacy crisis, undermining value of his mandate, needed to revive the economy, struggling after the 2011 revolution to attract tourists and foreign investors, abandoning the country after turmoil.
AFRICA DIPLOMATIC 