Advertisement

Egypt’s ex-army chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi declared new president

FILE - In this Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014 file photo, Egypt’s Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi smiles as he speaks to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during their talks in Moscow, Russia.
FILE - In this Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014 file photo, Egypt’s Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi smiles as he speaks to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during their talks in Moscow, Russia. AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File

CAIRO, Egypt – The Election Commission says former army chief Field Marshal Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi won Egypt’s presidential elections by a landslide victory of 96.9 per cent of the vote, with turnout 47.45 per cent.

Anwar el-Assi, the commission’s president, said el-Sissi received 23.78 million votes, while his sole rival, leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi, got 3 per cent of the vote.

READ MORE: El-Sissi wins election by landslide

After the announcement, several hundred people gathered in Cairo’s Tahrir Square set off fireworks, cheered and sang pro-military songs.

El-Sissi’s victory was never in doubt, but the career infantry officer had pushed for a massive turnout as well to bestow legitimacy on his ouster last July of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi and the ensuing crackdown on his Muslim Brotherhood and Islamist supporters.

Story continues below advertisement

 

Sponsored content

AdChoices