Alwaght- Egypt's presidential polls have been scheduled to be held between 26 and 28 March, with the run-off vote in April if needed, the country's National Elections Authority announced on Monday.
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has yet to announce his candidacy but is likely seeking a second term in office since his victory is assured especially with the Muslim Brotherhood banned from participating after it was designated as a terrorist group.
El-Sisi won in the previous presidential poll after he led the military overthrow of elected President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013.
Candidates must submit their official bids to the commission between Jan 20-29. Announcing the date, the national election commission said a run-off would be held on April 24-26 if needed.
It will be Egypt’s third election since the 2011 uprising, which ended strongman Hosni Mubarak’s long dictatorship.
El-Sisi’s most serious potential challenger, former prime minister Ahmed Shafik, recalled his candidacy on Sunday saying his time back in Egypt has led him to reconsider the decision.
Shafik returned to Egypt from the United Arab Emirates in December after announcing his intention to run, setting off a barrage of criticism from state-linked media.
Critics and rights groups have accused el-Sisi of trampling civil and human rights. A clampdown on Muslim Brotherhood has left hundreds dead and thousands in prison, while an insurgency by ISIS terrorist group affiliate centered in the Sinai Peninsula has not been quelled.
