Timeline for 2018 presidential elections to be announced on Monday

The National Elections Authority (NEA) announced on Tuesday that it will release the timeline for the upcoming presidential elections on January 8.

Mahmoud al-Sherif, the authority’s official spokesperson, stated during a Tuesday press conference that TV commercials urging citizens to vote will start airing soon. He added that the NEA welcomes all national and international bodies wishing to monitor the elections, on the condition that they coordinate with the Foreign Ministry.

NEA Deputy Head Refaat al-Komsan added that a follow-up press conference is scheduled for Monday December 10, during which the authority will announce the election timeline. This includes information about the dates on which people can file papers to announce their candidacy, when the candidate list will be released and the election date.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued a presidential decree forming the NEA on October 10. The authority, headed by the Court of Cassation’s Deputy Head Lasheen Ibrahim, is tasked with overseeing presidential, parliamentary and local council elections and referendums.

The Constitution stipulates that presidential elections must start 120 days before the end of the current presidential term, which will conclude on June 2 2018, and that its results are to announced 30 days before that date.