Egypt: Presidential Elections, 2014

Abstract

The 2014 presidential elections in Egypt were an exercise in giving electoral legitimacy to el-Sisi who had removed Morsi in July 2013 to take control of an increasingly unstable Egypt. It also proved that Egypt’s tryst with democracy was short-lived and that the military continues to control its destiny. Except for the new constitution and the electoral laws, nothing in the run up to the elections could arouse confidence in the process. It was marked with curbs on media and civil society, under-representation of women, lack of clarity in the electoral procedures, and interference of state, security apparatus and business interests in favor of el-Sisi. Though voting and counting were termed free and fair by international observers, serious questions about the transparency of the electoral process were raised from many quarters. The continued crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood and local and international media, lack of opposition, and disqualification and withdrawal of all formidable opponent candidates undermined the process and took back Egypt to the pre-Tahrir Square years.