Egypt's NEA Announces Results of Parliamentary Elections' 1st Stage

Head of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) Lasheen Ibrahim speaks during a news conference in Cairo, Egypt January 8, 2018. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
Head of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) Lasheen Ibrahim speaks during a news conference in Cairo, Egypt January 8, 2018. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
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Egypt's NEA Announces Results of Parliamentary Elections' 1st Stage

Head of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) Lasheen Ibrahim speaks during a news conference in Cairo, Egypt January 8, 2018. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
Head of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) Lasheen Ibrahim speaks during a news conference in Cairo, Egypt January 8, 2018. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

The turnout in the first stage of Egypt's parliamentary elections was 28.6 percent, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) revealed, adding that the list of the Nation's Future Party won 142 seats.

Head of the NEC Lasheen Ibrahim said that all results were received from the public committees on the level of the 14 governorates where elections took place.

The Commission tackled 248 complaints, he added, noting that the results provided by committees were accurately revised.

The first stage of the elections took place in 14 governorates, namely: Giza, Fayoum, Beni Suef, Minya, Assiut, New Valley, Sohag, Qena, Luxor, Aswan, the Red Sea, Alexandria, Beheira, and Matrouh on 21, 22, and 23 Oct. abroad and on 24 and 25 in the country.

The parliament consists of 596 seats by which 568 seats are determined through individual and lists electoral system, while the president appoints 28 members.

The number of registered voters in the database reached 31,719,224 voters, Ibrahim noted.

The number of people casting their vote amounted to 9,069,929 out of which 7,300,027 were eligible in the 14 governorates.

Some candidates won individual seats from the first round, noting that 220 candidates were competing over 110 seats.

A run-off for the first stage will be held from 21 to 23 Nov. for Egyptian expats and on 23 and 24 Nov. for voters inside the country, Ibrahim added.



France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
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France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)

Paris declined to comment on Algeria’s “strong condemnation” of the French government’s decision to recognize Morocco’s claim over the Sahara.

The office of the French Foreign Ministry refused to respond to an AFP request for a comment on the Algeria’s stance.

It did say that further comments could impact the trip Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is set to make to France in late September or early October.

The visit has been postponed on numerous occasions over disagreements between the two countries.

France had explicitly expressed its constant and clear support for the autonomy rule proposal over the Sahara during Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne’s visit to Morocco in February, reported AFP.

The position has helped improve ties between Rabat and Paris.

On Thursday, the Algerian Foreign Ministry expressed “great regret and strong denunciation" about the French government's decision to recognize an autonomy plan for the Western Sahara region "within Moroccan sovereignty”.

Algeria was informed of the decision by France in recent days, an Algerian foreign ministry statement added.

The ministry also said Algeria would draw all the consequences from the decision and hold the French government alone completely responsible.