ABDEL Fattah al-Sisi, the general who toppled Egypt’s first freely elected leader, took more than 90% of the vote in a presidential election, provisional results showed yesterday, as he joined a long line of leaders drawn from the military.
But a lower-than-expected turnout figure raised questions about the credibility of a man idolised by his supporters as a hero who can deliver political and economic stability.
Sisi won 93.3% of votes cast, judicial sources said, as counting neared its conclusion after three days of voting.
His only rival, leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi, gained 3% while 3.7% of votes were declared void.
Turnout was 44.4% of Egypt’s 54-million voters, judicial sources said, less than the 40-million votes, or 80% of the electorate, that Sisi had called for last week and also less than the 52% turnout Mohamed Mursi won in the 2012 presidential election.
“We are now divided with the turnout,” said Tarek Awad, 27 and unemployed, celebrating Sisi’s victory in Tahrir yesterday morning. “If about half of voters wanted Sisi, the other half don’t want him. What about them?”
Most Egyptian newspapers celebrated the result, with state-run Al-Akhbar calling it “a day of hope for all Egyptians”.
About 1000 people gathered in Tahrir Square, the symbolic heart of the popular uprising that toppled Mubarak in 2011 and raised hopes of a democracy free of influence from the military.
Sisi, who ousted Mursi last year after mass protests against his rule, is seen by supporters as a strong figure who can end the turmoil that has convulsed Egypt for three years since the revolution that ousted Hosni Mubarak after 30 years in power.
Critics fear Sisi will become another autocrat who will preserve the army’s interests and quash hopes of democracy and reform.
Sisi enjoys the backing of the powerful armed forces and the Interior Ministry, as well as many politicians and former Mubarak officials now making a comeback.
But the former military intelligence chief may not have the popular mandate to take the tough measures needed to restore healthy economic growth, ease poverty and unemployment, and end costly energy subsidies in the most populous Arab nation.
Horsham Moans, Sabahi’s campaign manager, questioned the legitimacy of the vote, saying there had been violations.
“Until yesterday turnout was much lower than what was announced today. Did the percentage suddenly reach 46 percent?”
An editorial in state-run Al-Ah ram newspaper called for “a serious and real pause” to review the past three days’ events.
“The behaviour and style of some almost corrupted the image and contributed to the impression that what happened did not follow the conditions of a proper democratic process or fair competition,” it said.
Some Egyptians have concluded that Sisi is a strong figure who can bring calm, even though past leaders from the military mismanaged the country.
Despite an official campaign to bring out more voters, Egyptians, many opposed to Sisi, gave various reasons for their lack of enthusiasm.
Young secular activists had become disillusioned with Sisi after many were rounded up in the crackdown that restricted protests.
Since he gave a series of television interviews, many Egyptians feel Sisi has not spelled out a clear vision of how he would tackle Egypt’s challenges, instead making a general call for people to work hard and be patient.
He has presented vague plans to remedy the economy, suffering from corruption, high unemployment, and a widening budget deficit aggravated by fuel subsidies that could cost nearly $19-billion (R199-billion) in the next fiscal year.
Sisi also faces the formidable challenge of crushing an Islamist armed insurgency and eliminating any threat from the Brotherhood, which, as the country’s best-organised political force, had won every national vote held after Mubarak’s fall.
The Muslim Brotherhood, a movement loyal to Mursi and outlawed as a terrorist group by the military, has rejected the election, describing it as an extension of the army takeover.
The United States, Egypt’s ally in the West, has yet to comment on Sisi’s victory. — Reuters
Sisi celebrates landslide win
But a lower-than-expected turnout figure raised questions about the credibility of a man idolised by his supporters as a hero who can deliver political and economic stability.
Sisi won 93.3% of votes cast, judicial sources said, as counting neared its conclusion after three days of voting.
His only rival, leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi, gained 3% while 3.7% of votes were declared void.
Turnout was 44.4% of Egypt’s 54-million voters, judicial sources said, less than the 40-million votes, or 80% of the electorate, that Sisi had called for last week and also less than the 52% turnout Mohamed Mursi won in the 2012 presidential election.
“We are now divided with the turnout,” said Tarek Awad, 27 and unemployed, celebrating Sisi’s victory in Tahrir yesterday morning. “If about half of voters wanted Sisi, the other half don’t want him. What about them?”
Most Egyptian newspapers celebrated the result, with state-run Al-Akhbar calling it “a day of hope for all Egyptians”.
About 1000 people gathered in Tahrir Square, the symbolic heart of the popular uprising that toppled Mubarak in 2011 and raised hopes of a democracy free of influence from the military.
Sisi, who ousted Mursi last year after mass protests against his rule, is seen by supporters as a strong figure who can end the turmoil that has convulsed Egypt for three years since the revolution that ousted Hosni Mubarak after 30 years in power.
Critics fear Sisi will become another autocrat who will preserve the army’s interests and quash hopes of democracy and reform.
Sisi enjoys the backing of the powerful armed forces and the Interior Ministry, as well as many politicians and former Mubarak officials now making a comeback.
But the former military intelligence chief may not have the popular mandate to take the tough measures needed to restore healthy economic growth, ease poverty and unemployment, and end costly energy subsidies in the most populous Arab nation.
Horsham Moans, Sabahi’s campaign manager, questioned the legitimacy of the vote, saying there had been violations.
“Until yesterday turnout was much lower than what was announced today. Did the percentage suddenly reach 46 percent?”
An editorial in state-run Al-Ah ram newspaper called for “a serious and real pause” to review the past three days’ events.
“The behaviour and style of some almost corrupted the image and contributed to the impression that what happened did not follow the conditions of a proper democratic process or fair competition,” it said.
Some Egyptians have concluded that Sisi is a strong figure who can bring calm, even though past leaders from the military mismanaged the country.
Despite an official campaign to bring out more voters, Egyptians, many opposed to Sisi, gave various reasons for their lack of enthusiasm.
Young secular activists had become disillusioned with Sisi after many were rounded up in the crackdown that restricted protests.
Since he gave a series of television interviews, many Egyptians feel Sisi has not spelled out a clear vision of how he would tackle Egypt’s challenges, instead making a general call for people to work hard and be patient.
He has presented vague plans to remedy the economy, suffering from corruption, high unemployment, and a widening budget deficit aggravated by fuel subsidies that could cost nearly $19-billion (R199-billion) in the next fiscal year.
Sisi also faces the formidable challenge of crushing an Islamist armed insurgency and eliminating any threat from the Brotherhood, which, as the country’s best-organised political force, had won every national vote held after Mubarak’s fall.
The Muslim Brotherhood, a movement loyal to Mursi and outlawed as a terrorist group by the military, has rejected the election, describing it as an extension of the army takeover.
The United States, Egypt’s ally in the West, has yet to comment on Sisi’s victory. — Reuters
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