Egypt opens the polls to elect revived Senate
Egyptians wore masks and observed social distancing rules yesterday as they voted for an upper house of parliament, which was reintroduced as part of constitutional amendments approved last year.
The 300-seat Senate, which was dissolved in 2014, will have no legislative powers and will play an advisory role in government, vetting draft legislation referred by the president or the legislature.
A third of its members will be appointed by Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, whose supporters are likely to dominate the new chamber.
Another 100 seats are reserved for individual candidates and the last Senate seats will be filled by people on a list dominated by pro-government parties.
The voting is staggered over two days and began after Egyptian living more than 140 countries sent their ballots by mail on Sunday and Monday.
A second round of voting will be held this month if necessary, with the results to be announced next month.
Few voters were seen when polls opened at 9am yesterday, with about 14,000 polling stations set up across a country with 63 million registered voters. About a dozen voters were waiting outside polling centres in Cairo when they opened.
Turnout is traditionally low for parliament’s upper chamber given it has no legislative power, but authorities were expected to use pro-government media and social media to encourage people to vote.
In Shoubra, a densely populated district of Cairo, loudspeakers outside polling centres broadcast patriotic songs, women loyal to the government shouted and small children waved Egyptian flags.
Lasheen Ibrahim, head of the National Election Authority, said voting was a national duty and a fine of 500 Egyptian pounds (Dh115) would be issued to anyone who abstained from voting.
Similar warnings failed to persuade voters to participate in past elections and authorities made little effort to punish those who abstained.
Giant billboards on the side of major roads were among the few reminders the election was going on.
However, voter apathy is not the only cause of low turnout. Egypt is facing a second wave of coronavirus infections, with the country having recorded more than 95,500 cases and about 5,000 deaths since the outbreak began.
On Sunday, health authorities reported 178 new cases and a day later another 174 infections were recorded. The Health Ministry said the numbers could be much higher.
Authorities said voters were to wear masks when they cast their vote. Masks were available free of charge at polling stations.
The weather, with Egypt at the height of a particularly hot and humid summer, may also cause citizens to think twice about heading out to cast their ballot.