By Ebi Kesiena
In anticipation of the forthcoming presidential elections in Egypt, the National Elections Authority (NEA) is set to unveil the definitive roster of candidates and their associated electoral symbols this Thursday, signifying the commencement of the approximately one-month-long electoral campaign period.
Among the candidates, three prominent political party leaders, in addition to the incumbent President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, have formally submitted their candidacy papers to the NEA.
President El-Sisi, who is vying for a third term in office, has chosen the star as his electoral symbol.
Equally, Farid Zahran, representing the opposition Social Democratic Party, has opted for the sun. Additionally, Abdel-Sanad Yamama, candidate of the Wafd party, has selected the palm as his symbol, while Hazem Omar, running for the People’s Republican Party, has chosen the ladder, as confirmed by the NEA in a statement released on Wednesday.
Regarding campaign logistics, the NEA has granted each candidate permission to establish a campaign fund by opening a bank account with either the National Bank of Egypt or Banque Misr for managing their campaign expenses.
The NEA has stipulated stringent oversight over the deposits made into these accounts and the donations received for campaign purposes. It has been mandated that campaign expenditures must not exceed EGP 20 million, with an additional EGP 5 million allocated in the event of a runoff election.
In accordance with election regulations, candidates are permitted to receive financial or in-kind contributions solely from Egyptian individuals, provided that these donations do not surpass 2 percent of the maximum expenditure limit for their respective campaigns, as clarified by the NEA.
Therefore, voters in Egypt are scheduled to cast their ballots from December 10th to December 12th, while Egyptians residing abroad will participate in the electoral process from December 1st to December 3rd.
The final election results will be officially announced on December 18th, barring the necessity of a runoff election.
