Egypt presidential election dates announced

CAIRO, Egypt

Egypt will hold a presidential vote on December 10 to 12, 2023, the country's election authority announced Monday.

Walid Hassan Hamza, chairman of Egypt's National Election Authority, said the winner will be declared on December 18. 

"The final results of the presidential elections will be announced and published in the official newspaper no later than January 16th. Therefore, the entire election process will conclude before January 17th, 2024." 

Although yet to formally announce his candidacy, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is widely expected to win reelection. 

Experts had predicted that Sisi would move forward the 2024 election, ahead of a predicted switch to a flexible exchange rate which could exacerbate tensions. 

The votes come as the country battles an economic crisis, with inflation sky-rocketing in recent months and the currency losing half its value since March 2022. 

The government has kept the exchange rate pegged since early this year. 

Sisi, 68, has been in power since 2014, when he was first elected. He won again in 2018 against one of his own political allies. 

He further consolidated his power in 2019 following a change to the constitution which allows him to stand for a  third term. The changes also adjusted the length of presidential terms from four to six years, allowing Sisi to stay in power until 2030 should he win.