Cairo : The Arab Republic of Egypt’s National Elections Authority (NEA) announced the cancellation of the results of voting for individual seats in 19 constituencies out of 70 that were included in the first round of the House of Representatives elections, following the consideration of several appeals and based on documented electoral violations.
The first phase of the elections took place last week under a mixed electoral system combining individual candidates and closed lists, to elect the parliament that will continue its term until the end of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s third legislative period under the current constitution.
Hazem Badawy, Head of the NEA, explained at a press conference that the decisions were made after multiple violations were recorded, most notably the conduct of electoral campaigning near polling stations, the failure of candidates or their representatives to obtain copies of the vote-counting minutes, and discrepancies between the records of sub-committees and general committees.
Badawy pointed out that the National List for Egypt achieved the minimum required threshold to win, amounting to five percent of the total registered voters, thereby securing the seats of the first round as the only list qualified to contest the elections this year.
President El Sisi had called on the NEA to thoroughly review all appeals and take the necessary measures, including re-holding elections if required, to ensure that elected representatives reflect the will of voters in parliament.
According to the NEA, voter turnout in the first round reached around 23 percent, while the second and final phase of voting will be held next week to elect the remaining members of the House of Representatives.
