Elections countdown: 7 days

The spokesperson for the High Elections Commission, Omar Marawan, held a joint press conference on Sunday with Deputy Foreign Minister Hamdy Loza, in preparation for the overseas vote in Egypt’s upcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled to begin on October 17.

Results for the overseas vote will not be announced until the voting process is complete in Egypt and abroad, Marawan said.

Both the HEC and Foreign Ministry said they are anticipating a smooth process and high turnout when Egyptians abroad head to the polls on October 17 and 18 at 139 Egyptian embassies around the world.

Diplomats and other administrative employees from overseas attended a workshop on Sunday to prepare for the vote and learn about new voting technology, according to Marawan.

Loza said several countries would not host polling stations, including Yemen, Syria, Libya and the Central African Republic, due to unrest. He clarified that there is not a ban on voting in these countries, but that voting would only take place “where the security situation allows.” 

Marawan predicted a high turnout in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Italy, which prompted the HEC to increase the number of monitors in these countries.

Monitoring the elections

Six NGOs have been designated to monitor the elections, alongside representatives from various embassies in Egypt, a number of foreign correspondents and several foreign governmental organizations — including the African Union and Arab League — Marawan reported at Sunday’s press conference.

In an interview with the privately owned Al-Watan newspaper, head of the European Union’s delegation James Moran said that 60 European representatives, who are already part of the diplomatic community in Egypt, would follow the elections rather than monitor them, and would subsequently issue a report to the EU.

In late September, the European Working Group on Egypt (EWGE) sent an open letter to European leaders and officials, urging them to “resist any temptation to endorse [the elections] as representing significant progress towards a representative and inclusive democracy or accountable government.”

EWGE is a collective initiative that comprises experts and influential Europeans, aiming to “provide the forum for a pan-European discussion of EU policy towards Egypt and suggest constructive alternatives to current approaches.”

EWGE urged the EU delegation to ensure that European standards for such missions are met, “not only on the technical conduct of the polls, but also on the broader environment in which they are being held.”

The group asserted that an elected parliament in Egypt should put an end to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s extraordinary powers, under which he has issued a number of laws.

But they remained skeptical as to whether this would actually happen. “Given today’s political environment, there is reason to be concerned as to whether the new parliament will live up to its democratic potential.”

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This article has been amended since it was first published.