Presidential elections were held in Egypt between 26 and 28 May 2014. There were only two candidates, former Egyptian defence minister Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Egyptian Popular Current candidate Hamdeen Sabahi. El-Sisi won the election in a landslide victory, having received 97% of votes. The elections were marred by irregularities, repression of el-Sisi's political opponents, and suppression of free speech.
Before announcing his candidacy in the election, el-Sisi, who as Defence Minister also served as Commander-in-Chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces, was responsible for officially announcing the removal of president Mohamed Morsi from office in the aftermath of the June 2013 Egyptian protests. After Morsi's removal, Sisi installed a temporary interim government, but remained Egypt's Minister of Defence and assumed the role of the country's First Deputy Prime Minister. On 26 March 2014, he officially retired from the military, and announced that he would run as a candidate in the 2014 presidential election. The election, held between 26 and 28 May and which included only one opponent, was boycotted by some political parties, as well as many Islamists, including the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom &amp; Justice Party, the Brotherhood itself having been previously declared a terrorist organization in December 2013.
The elections, which were planned to take place for two days, were extended to a third day. Official figures showed that 25,578,233 people voted in the elections, and the election had a turnout of 47.5% (lower than the 2012 election's 52%), with el-Sisi winning with 23.78 million votes, 96.91%, ten million more votes than former president Mohamed Morsi (who garnered 13 million votes against his opponent in the close runoff of the 2012 election).
Background.
After the fall of longtime leader Hosni Mubarak, the Muslim Brotherhood went on to win in elections for the Shura Council and then the 2012 presidential election. Following economic hardship and instability, a large uprising against the Muslim Brotherhood regime of Morsi was followed by the overthrow of Morsi, the suspension of the 2012 constitution, the dissolution of the Shura Council, as well as a roadmap which outlined future elections which would follow the drafting and approval of a new constitution.
As part of the roadmap which ensued followed the overthrow of Morsi, then-minister of defense Abdel Fattah el-Sisi declared that elections would be preceded by a constitutional referendum. Interim president Adly Mansour announced on 26 January 2014 that the presidential election would be held before the parliamentary election. A five-member commission was formed to monitor the election. The deadline for proposals regarding the elections law was 9 February. The presidential elections law was issued by the president on 8 March.
On 24 March, an Egyptian court sentenced 529 Muslim Brotherhood members to death following an attack on a police station, and two days later, on 26 March Egypt's public prosecutor declared that another 919 Brotherhood members would be tried for murder and terrorism. On the same day, Sisi announced that he would stand as a candidate in the presidential election.
Between the removal of Morsi and the 2014 presidential elections, it is reported that an estimated 20,000 activists and dissidents were arrested by the police under the interim government.
Regulations.
Candidates were able to apply for nomination to the presidency between 31 March and 20 April 2014. The final list of candidates approved by the Supreme Election Committee was announced on 2 May. Candidates were allowed to spend a maximum of LE20 million for campaigning. The final results of the election were officially scheduled to be announced on 5 June; however, the official announcement of the results took place earlier, on 3 June.
Timetable.
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Candidates.
Hamdeen Sabahi, a former presidential candidate in the 2012 presidential election, officially announced his presidential bid on 8 February 2014. However, the Sabahi campaign had criticized the presidential elections law promulgated by the interim government, deeming its characteristics troubling for the transparency and fairness of the election. The pro-Sabahi Revolution's Candidate campaign had also expressed reservations about the nature of the presidential elections law, suggesting that the provision establishing inviolability for the decisions of the Supreme Electoral Committee raises doubts about the integrity of the election process and could potentially force a reassessment of the Sabahi candidacy. On 14 March, Hamdeen Sabahi's presidential campaign announced that Sabahi had decided to continue his candidacy in the presidential election, despite the perceived unconstitutionality of the presidential elections law. Sabahi has taken the medical tests needed to run for presidential office. Sabahi acquired 31,555 endorsements.
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi confirmed on 26 March that he will run for president, which also led to his simultaneous permanent retirement from the Armed Forces. Sisi submitted 188,930 endorsements (though 500,000 were collected) and was the first candidate to submit all required documentation.
Sisi and Sabahi were announced as the official candidates by the Presidential Election Commission on 2 May 2014.
Other candidates and nominations.
The New Wafd Party stated on 27 January 2014 that it would not nominate anyone for presidency. The Free Egyptians Party announced on 27 April 2014 that it would not nominate any members to presidential elections. Adly Mansour, stated in November 2013 that he would not run. Amr Moussa, who finished fifth in the 2012 presidential election, has stated that he would not run for the presidency. The Nour Party did not nominate anyone for the presidency. Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, who finished fourth in the 2012 election, announced on 9 February 2014 that he would not run. On 13 March, Lieutenant General Sami Anan announced he will not run for president.
Khaled Ali, a labor lawyer and former presidential candidate, withdrew his candidacy on 16 March after the passage of the presidential elections law, describing the election as a "farce" while also urging el-Sisi not to run and the army to stay out of politics. Ahmed Shafiq, who finished second in the 2012 presidential election, losing to Mohamed Morsi, announced on 20 March that he would not run for president.
Murad Muwafi, who is the former director of Egyptian General Intelligence, announced on 30 March that he would not run for president. Lawyer Mortada Mansour announced on 6 April that he would run for president, though on 19 April, he announced his withdrawal from the election and endorsed el-Sisi. News presenter Bothaina Kamel announced on 12 April that she would run, but she could not collect the required endorsements.
A movement called Taharor had launched, in coordination with the Constitution Party and with 6 April movement, a nationwide campaign to collect 50,000 signatures in favor of Mohammed ElBaradei running for the presidency. Another campaign, called Authorize El Baradei, also started in order to gain endorsements to convince ElBaradei to run for the presidency. However, ElBaradei was ultimately not a presidential candidate.
Endorsements and opposition.
Sisi endorsements.
A movement called Finish Your Favor claimed to have collected 26 million signatures asking el-Sisi to run for president. The Revolutionary Forces Bloc backed el-Sisi for president. Tamarod supported el-Sisi as did the Arab Democratic Nasserist Party and the Misr Balady front. The Moderate Front, which is a group made up of former jihadis, ex-members of the Muslim Brotherhood and ex-al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya members, supported el-Sisi.
The New Wafd Party announced their support for el-Sisi on 7 April. The Free Egyptians Party announced on 27 April 2014 that it would back el-Sisi. The Nour Party announced their support for el-Sisi on 3 May. The Tagammu Party and Congress Party announced on 4 May 2014 that they would back el-Sisi for president. Moussa has stated that el-Sisi is the most qualified candidate for the presidency. Ex-President Hosni Mubarak stated in a phone interview that Egyptians should back Sisi, though Mubarak's lawyer has disputed the idea that Mubarak has commented about Sisi's candidacy. In that same interview, Mubarak criticized Sabahi, saying that he is "not fit" to be president. Anwar Sadat and Saad el-Shazly's families also backed el-Sisi. The Egyptian Patriotic Movement announced on 13 May that it would support Sisi.
Sabahi endorsements, opposition to Sisi's candidacy and Mona el-Beheiri.
The Strong Egypt Party, headed by Aboul Fotouh, himself a former member of the Muslim Brotherhood, opposed el-Sisi's candidacy. Sabahi had criticized the possibility of having someone with a past military background become the next president, arguing that such an outcome would run counter to the goals of the Egyptian revolution. He also expressed doubt about Sisi's commitment to democracy, and argued that the retired Field Marshal bore a measure of direct and indirect responsibility for the human rights violations carried out during the period of the interim government. Sabahi denounced what he deemed to be the interim government's hostility toward the goals of the revolution.
The Road of the Revolution Front, the Constitution Party, both wings of the April 6 Movement and the Anti-Coup Alliance opposed Sisi's election bid. The 6 April movement opposed Sisi's candidacy on the grounds that it would further exacerbate polarization and division. Shortly after Sisi's announcement to run for the presidential elections, some social media users in Egypt and the Arab world responded to el-Sisi's presidential bid announcement with a highly critical viral hashtag ("vote for the pimp") that swept Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms.
The Revolutionary Socialists issued a statement delineating their position toward the election which criticized state institutions supporting Sisi, described Sisi as the "leader of the counter-revolution," and vowed to "expose el-Sisi's illusions and to destroy the idol which Mubarak's state is erecting as it rebuilds itself." Six political movements, including the Road of the Revolution Front, both wings of the 6 April movement, the Revolutionary Socialists, Hakemhom, and the Students Resistance movement had joined together to create an anti-Sisi campaign called "Against You."
Two co-founders of Tamarod (Hassan Shahin and Mohamed Abel Aziz) were suspended from the organization after announcing their support for Hamdeen Sabahi in his presidential bid. Other leading Tamarod members, numbering around 50, issued a statement expressing support for Sabahi. The Revolution's Candidate campaign began to promote Sabahi following his confirmation that he will run in the election. The Popular Current officially supported Sabahi for president. The Constitution Party had announced its official support for Sabahi after polling its members over potential positions to take toward the election. The Socialist Popular Alliance Party announced on 25 April 2014 that it would support Sabahi. The Dignity Party previously stated that it would support Sabahi. The Revolutionary Socialists announced on 27 April that they would support Sabahi. The Justice Party declared its support for Sabahi on 28 April. The Freedom Egypt Party announced its support for Sabahi.
The Kefaya Movement stated it would not back a candidate. After holding an internal vote over the question of what position to take toward the presidential election, the Egyptian Social Democratic Party decided not to officially back any candidate. The 6 April Democratic Front had declared that it would let members decide whether to support Sabahi or boycott the election.
There was some notoriety over a supporter of Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, an Egyptian woman named Mona el-Beheiri, having expressed her dissent in a street interview over U.S. President Barack Obama's approach to el-Sisi and Egypt in broken English, sporting a heavy Egyptian Arabic accent: "Listen your Obama. We are Egyptian women. You are listen Obama!? Shut up your mouse Obama! Shut up your mouse Obama!! SISI YES, SISI YES! MORSI NO, MORSI NO!" el-Beheiri later became a well-known persona in Egypt and across the Arab world, and the video of her street interview became the subject of some remixes and memes. The incident was described as "the Middle East's Joe the Plumber moment". el-Beheiri received interviews from numerous Arab news outlets, and appeared on various talk shows. T-shirts with either her image or "Shut up your mouse, Obama" quote were being sold in stores and markets all over the Arab world. In addition, she was invited to the Arab Media Forum in Dubai, as an example of a social media phenomenon. Some took a very differing opinion and even considered the event and attention an embarrassment.
Conduct and controversies.
The Socialist Popular Alliance Party and the Revolutionary Socialists opposed the use of state media to promote el-Sisi as a candidate. The Socialist Popular Alliance also demanded "fair, transparent, credible elections" and argued that allowing the election to turn into a referendum over a single candidate would mean the establishment of a totalitarian state. Ahmed Douma, an activist and member of the Popular Current who was at the time imprisoned for allegedly violating an anti-protest law, called on