Egypt completes first phase of parliamentary elections process

Egypt finalized the first phase of its parliamentary elections on Tuesday, conducting voting across nearly half of the nation's provinces to elect members to the House of Representatives. This initial stage covered 14 of Egypt's 27 provinces, with the subsequent phase scheduled to address the remaining regions later this month, continuing the process to form the country's main legislative chamber.

Voter Participation and Process

According to National Elections Authority official Ahmed Bendary, Tuesday's voting witnessed a significant turnout, though specific figures were not immediately disclosed. The electoral process operated from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm local time over two days, following earlier voting by Egyptian expatriates on November 7-8, demonstrating broad engagement in the democratic exercise.

Candidate Competition and Timeline

A total of 1,281 candidates competed in this first electoral phase, with official results expected to be announced on November 18. The upcoming second stage will see 1,316 candidates contesting seats across 13 provinces, with overseas voting scheduled for November 21-22 and domestic polling set for November 24-25, culminating in final result declarations on December 2.

Electoral Context and Structure

The National Elections Authority reports that approximately 69 million of Egypt's 108 million citizens are registered to participate in electing the House of Representatives, which serves five-year terms with no fewer than 450 members. These elections follow August's Senate polls and complete the formation of Egypt's bicameral parliamentary system, representing a significant milestone in the nation's political calendar.