Egyptian election: lack of choice leads to voter apathy

Voting in Egypt’s overdue parliamentary election is scheduled to begin on Sunday at a time when there is strong voter fatigue among Egyptians who complain balloting has no impact on governance.

Since the ousting of president Hosni Mubarak in 2011, Egyptians have gone to the polls a dozen times in constitutional referendums, parliamentary polls and presidential elections.

Furthermore, veteran newspaper editor Ibrahim Eissa argues, "The notion has reached the people that the [outcome of this] election is a foregone conclusion and that its objective is [simply] to aid, support or show solidarity with the president."

Egypt's last parliament was dissolved by the ruling army command in June 2012, ahead of the inauguration of president Mohamed Morsi, to deny the Muslim Brotherhood control over both presidency and legislature.

The latest poll, set to be held in three stages, completes the road map drawn up after the ousting of Mr Morsi in July 2013. The first task, in January 2014, was to draw up a new constitution, and the second was to choose a new president, achieved with the election of former army chief Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi in June 2014.

Voter apathy

Some 27.4 million voters – about half of those eligible – have registered to cast ballots. The first phase is in 14 of the country’s 27 provinces, where voters will choose 226 out of 596 legislators. Twenty-eight are appointed by the president. The second phase is scheduled for November 22nd-23rd, with run-offs in early December.

Several parties founded in the wake of the 2011 uprising are boycotting the poll, including the Constitution party, founded by Nobel laureate Mohamed El-Baradei, and the Social Democrats. Their absence leaves independent forces without a voice while many young men and women who guided the uprising are in prison for demonstrating.

The moderate fundamentalist Strong Egypt and Wasat parties are also boycotting while the Muslim Brotherhood has been outlawed. The movement will be absent from working class districts for first time in 30 years.

The first task for the new parliament will be to ratify the raft of laws adopted during Mr Sisi’s presidency. In the absence of parliament, he has assumed executive and legislative powers.

Analyst Hassan Nafaa, who predicts a 25 per cent turnout, says, " Young voters especially are apathetic. They have lost trust in the political process."