Sisi’s allies dominate Egypt’s upper house campaign

Roughly 68 million Egyptians are heading to the polls this Monday and Tuesday to elect 200 members of the Senate, in a vote widely seen as lacking suspense due to the strong grip of President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi's government on political life.

Half of the seats in the upper chamber are being filled through elections, while the other 100 will be appointed directly by President Sissi, a former army chief who came to power after ousting Islamist leader Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

Campaigning has been dominated by the pro-government "National List for Egypt" coalition, led by the National Front (NF) party and backed by wealthy businessmen close to Sissi. The coalition includes 13 political groups, including former opposition parties such as the Wafd and Tagammu, now aligned with the regime.

Voters received SMS reminders to cast their ballots, notably from the Hamat el Watan party. The elections are held under a mixed system, with 100 seats contested by independents and the remaining 100 by party lists across four large districts. At least 10% of seats are reserved for women.

Egypt reinstated the Senate in 2019 through a constitutional referendum, having previously abolished it in 2013 during the post-revolution restructuring.

Results from the first round are expected on August 12. A runoff is scheduled later in August, if needed, and final results will be published on September 4.

While authorities highlight a "national dialogue" with opposition groups, human rights organizations report that tens of thousands of political prisoners remain behind bars—claims the government denies.