We need more than just a victory.

The winner of the upcoming election needs to address many challenges quickly in order to meet the trust and expectations of Egyptian voters.

Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is widely predicted to win the upcoming Egyptian presidential election. (Source: EPA)

From December 10-12, voters in Egypt will exercise their civic rights in the presidential election.

This year's race features four leading politicians : incumbent President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi as an independent candidate; Abdel Sanad Yamama, leader of the Wafd liberal party with the slogan "Save Egypt," prioritizing economic development and education; Hazem Omar, chairman of the Republican People's Party of Businessmen, who supports el-Sisi; and Farrid Zahran, leader of the left-leaning Social Democratic Party of Egypt, whose views are close to those of the incumbent president.

Earlier, Ahmed Altantawy, former leader of the left-wing al-Karama party, and Gameela Ismail, chairwoman of the al-Dostour party, withdrew from the Egyptian presidential race.

According to election law, if no one wins more than 50% of the votes, a head-to-head race between the two candidates with the most votes will take place from January 8-10, 2024.

However, given the current situation, this scenario is unlikely to happen. This is because incumbent President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is expected to win easily again. In 2014 and 2018, he won with 97% of the vote. This time, the result is probably no exception: Although no official polls have been conducted, el-Sisi currently has the support of 424 out of 596 members of the Lower House, overwhelmingly ahead of the other three candidates.

In this context, the world is interested in what this leader will do to guide the country through the numerous challenges, which are evident in several aspects.

First, the economy is facing significant challenges. Prices are constantly escalating: In just a few weeks, the price of sugar has risen by 36%, from 35 to 55 Egyptian pounds (US$1.78) per kilogram. In September, inflation briefly reached 38%, but has since fallen to 34-35%. However, analyst Allen Sandeep of the Egyptian financial firm Naeem Brokerage believes that in 2024, this figure could return to 40% as the country's currency continues to depreciate.

Secondly, Egypt is facing significant foreign debt. In 2024 alone, Cairo had to pay $42.26 billion in debt, a record amount in the country's history. After delays, the $3 billion financial assistance package committed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in December 2022 still has no date set for delivery to Egypt.

Last but not least, there is the situation in the Gaza Strip. On October 7th, the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted, and shortly thereafter the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) surrounded the entire area. In this context, the Egyptian-controlled Rafah crossing became more important than ever, as it is the only route for humanitarian aid to flow into the Gaza Strip. Under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Cairo has also become a leading force in the current efforts to promote peace talks.

However, the conflict in the Gaza Strip presents Cairo with numerous challenges, most notably the wave of refugees. The country has already received 9 million refugees and migrants from various countries, including Syria, Sudan, Yemen, and Libya. Opening its doors to Palestinians would mean Cairo would have to address the resulting security issues, a consequence that President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi does not want to face.

These are all problems that the winner of the upcoming election needs to solve soon in order to meet the trust and expectations of Egyptian voters.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/bau-cu-tong-thong-ai-cap-can-hon-mot-chien-thang-252934.html