Egypt’s National Election Authority announced on Monday that the country will hold a presidential vote from December 10 to 12, 2023. The winner of the election will be declared on December 18, and the final results will be officially published no later than January 16, 2024.

Walid Hassan Hamza, Chairman of Egypt’s National Election Authority, confirmed the schedule for the upcoming presidential election. While President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has not yet formally announced his candidacy, he is widely expected to seek and secure reelection.

Experts had anticipated that President Sisi would advance the 2024 election to address potential challenges stemming from an anticipated shift to a flexible exchange rate. Such a move could exacerbate existing economic tensions in the country.

Egypt is currently grappling with an economic crisis marked by soaring inflation in recent months and a significant devaluation of the currency since March 2022. The government has maintained a fixed exchange rate since earlier this year.

President Sisi, aged 68, has been in power since 2014, when he was first elected. He won a second term in 2018, defeating one of his own political allies. In 2019, constitutional amendments were implemented, allowing him to run for a third term and extending the presidential term from four to six years. These changes potentially enable President Sisi to remain in power until 2030 if he emerges victorious in the upcoming election.

The presidential election in Egypt takes place against the backdrop of significant economic challenges. The outcome of the election will be closely watched as the country seeks to address its economic crisis and navigate the path forward under President Sisi’s leadership.