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Egypt’s National Authority Denies Receiving Any Complaints Affecting Elections

A man casts his ballot at a school used as a polling station, during the first round of Egypt's parliamentary elections in Giza, Egypt. (Reuters)
A man casts his ballot at a school used as a polling station, during the first round of Egypt's parliamentary elections in Giza, Egypt. (Reuters)
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Egypt’s National Authority Denies Receiving Any Complaints Affecting Elections

A man casts his ballot at a school used as a polling station, during the first round of Egypt's parliamentary elections in Giza, Egypt. (Reuters)
A man casts his ballot at a school used as a polling station, during the first round of Egypt's parliamentary elections in Giza, Egypt. (Reuters)

Egypt’s National Elections Authority (NEA) denied receiving any complaints that would affect the electoral process, as the polls closed on the last day of the first phase of parliamentary elections.

Egyptians voted in 14 governorates amid strict health and security measures.

Head of NEA Lashin Ibrahim announced that authorities implemented strict precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus at polling stations.

He said the authority did not receive any complaints that would affect the elections as a whole, stating that the operating room continues to receive inquiries and complaints from all parties and is responding to them promptly.

Meanwhile, head of the Arab League mission tasked with observing the elections, Ahmed Rachid Khattabi, stressed that the process took place smoothly given the legal, organizational and procedural measures taken by the Authority.

He stated that the extensive security, logistic and precautionary measures had a positive impact on the overall electoral performance, allowing voters to cast their votes and carry out their national duty in a safe environment.

The Arab League issued a statement on Sunday praising the good organization of the polls, which reflects a confident political will to consolidate the foundations of the state of institutions and citizenship, the pillars of the rule of law, and rules of free choice.

Khattabi highlighted the 2019 constitutional amendments that allocated no less than 25 percent of parliamentary seats to female candidates.

This is a strong and clear indication of the state's desire to develop the political and electoral arena, which paves the way for a real female representation in the parliament, he added.

The second stage of the vote is scheduled on Nov. 7-8 in the country’s 13 other provinces, including Cairo and the Sinai Peninsula. The voting concludes with runoff elections.

A total of 568 seats in the lower chamber are up for grabs, with more than 4,000 candidates running as individuals competing for half of the seats. The other half of elected seats in the chamber are reserved for the more than 1,100 candidates running on four party lists.

The country's president will name 28 seats, or 5%, bringing the total number of seats in the lower chamber to 596.

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Arab World

Lebanese President Faces Domestic, Foreign Challenges

Newly-elected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun poses for a picture with his family at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon, January 9, 2025. Dalati Nohra/Handout via REUTERS
Newly-elected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun poses for a picture with his family at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon, January 9, 2025. Dalati Nohra/Handout via REUTERS
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Lebanese President Faces Domestic, Foreign Challenges

Newly-elected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun poses for a picture with his family at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon, January 9, 2025. Dalati Nohra/Handout via REUTERS
Newly-elected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun poses for a picture with his family at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon, January 9, 2025. Dalati Nohra/Handout via REUTERS

The election of a new president in Lebanon does not mean the country has come out of the economic and political crises which have gutted it for years. Yet Thursday’s vote marks the beginning of a new phase that carries many challenges for the president and the upcoming government.

It is Joseph Aoun’s responsibility now to appoint a prime minister following binding parliamentary consultations and then form the Cabinet together with the PM.

According to observers, Aoun’s term should carry a roadmap to salvage the country, and a clear plan to address crises and domestic and foreign challenges.

However, there is no magic wand to solve Lebanon’s entire crises.

Instead, Aoun needs a unified working team that should draft a clear ministerial statement that reflects the President’s inaugural speech and his pledge of a “new era” for Lebanon.

“The president's speech constitutes a detailed program for governance. However, his program needs a cabinet capable of implementing it,” former Minister Ibrahim Najjar told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Najjar described the new President as an honest, clean and courageous Lebanese man.

“His election must be followed by the formation of a bold cabinet with new faces, capable of working and making achievements,” he said.

“The Lebanese people expect President Aoun to change the quota-based mentality of politicians. They hope his term will help remove old political figures, who are rooted in the Lebanese quagmire,” the former minister noted.

Former MP Fares Souaid told Asharq Al-Awsat that Aoun’s first task is to implement the Constitution and the National Accord document.

“In the early 1990s, the Constitution was no longer being implemented due to the Syrian occupation of Lebanon. In 2005, the Constitution was again ignored because of Iranian arms.”

Therefore, Soueid said, the Lebanese eagerly expect this new era to constitute a real opportunity for the implementation of both documents.

For years, Lebanon has failed to properly implement its Constitution and UN resolutions, mainly because some political parties had considered their implementation as “a target against their so-called resistance.”

“With the election of President Joseph Aoun, Lebanon has opened a blank page that could meet the aspirations of the Lebanese people, and write a new chapter in the country’s history,” Najjar said.

According to Soueid, Aoun has a task to return Lebanon to its Arab identity. “This is slowly beginning to show through the decline of Iranian influence in the region,” he said.

Also, Soueid said, the new President should mend Lebanon’s relations with the international community by implementing all UN resolutions.

Addressing Parliament and Lebanese people with an acceptance speech, Aoun on Thursday vowed that the Lebanese authorities will have the monopoly on arms and will be committed to a strong state that will extend its sovereignty over the entire territory.

“This is in line with UN resolutions, which if implemented, will bring Lebanon back to the Arab and international scene,” Soueid said.