Need more than one victory

There are many problems that the winner of the upcoming election needs to find solutions to soon meet the trust and expectations of Egyptian voters.

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

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

This year's race features four politicians, including incumbent President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi as an independent candidate; Abdel Sanad Yamama, leader of the liberal Wafd party with the slogan "Save Egypt", prioritizing economic development and education; Hazem Omar, chairman of the Republican People's Party, a businessman who supports el-Sisi; and Farrid Zahran, leader of the left-wing Egyptian Social Democracy party, who has views close to the incumbent President.

Previously, Ahmed Altantawy, former leader of the leftist 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, the runoff between the two candidates with the most votes will take place on January 8-10, 2024.

However, in the current situation, this scenario is unlikely to happen. Because the current President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is considered to continue to win easily. In 2014 and 2018, this leader won with 97% of the support. This time, the result is probably no exception: Although there is no official survey, Mr. el-Sisi currently receives the support of 424/596 lawmakers in the House of Representatives, overwhelming the three remaining politicians participating in the election.

In that context, what the world is interested in is what this leader will do to help the country overcome many challenges, clearly shown in the following aspects.

First, the economy is in trouble. Prices are climbing: Sugar has risen 36% in the past few weeks, from 35 to 55 Egyptian pounds ($1.78) per kilogram. Inflation peaked at 38% in September, but has now fallen to 34-35%. But Allen Sandeep, an analyst at Naeem Brokerage, an Egyptian financial firm, says that by 2024, it could be back up to 40% as the Egyptian currency continues to depreciate.

Second, Egypt is facing a large amount of foreign debt. In 2024 alone, Cairo must pay $42.26 billion in debt, a record in the country's history. After being delayed, the $3 billion financial support package that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) pledged in December 2022 has yet to arrive in Egypt.

Last but not least, there is the situation in the Gaza Strip. On October 7, the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out and shortly thereafter the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) completely surrounded the area. In this context, the Egyptian-controlled Rafah border crossing has become more important than ever, as it is the only way for humanitarian aid to flow into the Gaza Strip. Under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Cairo has also become a “locomotive” in the current peace talks.

However, the conflict in the Gaza Strip has presented Cairo with many challenges, most notably the influx of refugees. The country already hosts 9 million refugees and migrants from many other countries, including Syria, Sudan, Yemen and Libya. Opening its doors to the Palestinians means Cairo must deal with 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 find solutions to soon 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