Sluggish voter turnout prompts incentives

Cairo: The Egyptian government gave its employees a half day off on Monday in order to go to the polls after figures showed a low turnout on Sunday, the first day of the country’s long-awaited parliamentary election.

Meanwhile, authorities in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, a major constituency in the first round of the voting, announced that the city’s public transport was free of charge for eight hours until the scheduled closure of the polls at 9pm (11pm UAE time) in an attempt to generate higher voter turnout.

Around 10 per cent of the city’s registered voters showed up on the first day of the balloting, according to unofficial estimates.

The Election Commission on Monday allowed voters with expired ID cards to cast ballots, state television reported.

The panel said voting figures will be announced after the closing of the polls.

However, official Middle East News Agency quoted Prime Minister Sharif Esmail as putting the voter participation at 15 to 16 per cent, expecting an increase in the the rates on Monday.

State and private newspapers hit the stands on Monday with reports on low turnout

“The people ignore the [House] of Representatives,” commented influential private newspaper Al Masry Al Youm.

“Lacklustre attendance on the first day of the elections,” lamented the semi-official newspaper Al Akhbar.

The second and final phase of the legislative election, Egypt’s first in more than three years, is slated for late November. Final results are expected in early December.

Around 5,420 candidates are vying in the election, Egypt’s first since the 2013 overthrow of Islamist president Mohammad Mursi following enormous street protests.

The assembly will have vast powers, including the right to impeach the president and call for early presidential elections.

But with most contenders openly backing Al Sissi, the new legislature is unlikely to have strong opposition.