Egypt holds senatorial elections despite fears of a renewed wave of coronavirus as the country begins to recover from the pandemic. The new legislative body is being elected according to a 2019 referendum that will also allow Egyptian President Abdul-Fattah al-Sissi to stay in power until 2030. VOA’s Heather Murdock writes from Istanbul with photos by Hamada Elrasam in Cairo.
Egypt Votes for New Senate Amid Pandemic Fears
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Analysts say the two-day vote appears not to have drawn large crowds because of virus fears and general apathy over the election, in Cairo, Aug. 11, 2020.
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Women work on election duties in Cairo, Aug. 11, 2020. The new senate will have 200 elected members, and 100 appointed directly by the president. Results are expected August 19.
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Some young men say "brokers" pay them to sit outside polls, presumably to create the appearance of greater youth participation in the election, in Cairo, Aug. 11, 2020.
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At the polls, lawyer Mostafa Hefny comments on what he expects to be a lackluster turn out of young voters, saying, “Most of them don't understand the role of the senate or how it will benefit them,” in Cairo, Aug. 11, 2020.
