Egyptian parliamentary election, 2015

Egyptian parliamentary election, 2015

17 October – 2 December 2015
568 of 596 seats to the House of Representatives (28 seats appointed). 299 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Leader Essam Khalil Mohammed Badran El-Sayyid el-Badawi Party Free Egyptians Party Nation's Future Party New Wafd Party Alliance For the Love of Egypt For the Love of Egypt For the Love of Egypt Seats before 15 New Party 38 Seats won 65 53 36 Seat change 50 53 2   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Galal Haridy Hazem Omar Omar El-Mokhtar Semeida Party Homeland Defenders Party Republican People's Party Conference Party Alliance For the Love of Egypt Egyptian Front For the Love of Egypt Seats before New Party Not Contested New Party Seats won 18 13 12 Seat change 18 13 12
Free Egyptians Party: 65 seats   Nation's Future Party: 53 seats   New Wafd Party: 36 seats   Protectors of the Homeland Party: 18 seats   Republican People's Party: 13 seats   Conference Party: 12 seats   al-Nour Party: 11 seats   Conservative Party: 6 seats   Democratic Peace Party: 5 seats   Egyptian Social Democratic Party: 4 seats   Egyptian Patriotic Movement: 4 seats   Modern Egypt Party: 4 seats   Reform and Development Party: 3 seats   Freedom Party: 3 seats   My Homeland Egypt Party: 3 seats   National Progressive Unionist Party: 2 seats   Arab Democratic Nasserist Party: 1 seat   Revolutionary Guards Party: 1 seat   Free Egyptian Building Party: 1 seat   Independents: 351 seats
Speaker of the House before election Vacant Elected Speaker of the House Ali Abdel Aal Support Egypt

Egypt
This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Egypt
Constitution (history)
Government President (list) Abdel Fattah el-Sisi Prime Minister (list) Sherif Ismail Cabinet
Legislature Parliament House of Representatives Speaker (list) Ali Abdel Aal
Judiciary Supreme Constitutional Court
Administrative divisions Governorates Subdivisions
Recent elections Presidential: 2005 2012 2014 Parliamentary: 2010 2011–12 2015 Municipal: 2008 2012
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Other countries Atlas

Egyptian parliamentary elections to the House of Representatives were held in two phases, from 17 October to 2 December 2015.^[1] The elected parliament will be entrusted with the task of reviewing the laws that were passed while a parliament was not in session.^[2]

In preparation for the election, security was tightened across the country with at least 185,000 troops supporting police, president Sisi made a televised appeal for Egyptians to vote, and in mid-October, public sector employees were given half a day's holiday to encourage them to take part. The strikingly low turnout of around 10%, with "many angry at the government and its policies", was widely regarded as a set-back for the administration and a success for calls to boycotts from oppositional movements.^[3]

Electoral System

The parliament is made up of 596 seats, with 448 seats elected through the single member districts, 120 elected through block vote in which party list should win 50%+ votes to win all seats however if no list achieved the threshold, a second round held between top two parties and the list with the most votes wins. Party list contain quotas for youth, women, Christians, and workers. Single member districts consists of 1-member district, 2-member districts, 3-member district and 4-member districts, winner should win 50%+ of the votes, if no one achieved the threshold a second round held between top candidates (candidates number should be the double of contested seat number) and the candidate with the most votes wins. In addition, 28 are selected by the president.^[4] The government commission that set the rules for the 2015 parliamentary elections drastically reduced the number of "list seats" (candidates who shared party affiliations or other alliances, and whose ranks had to include people under the age of thirty-five, women, Christians, and other traditionally underrepresented groups) from the 2011 election."^[5]

Procedure

First phase: Upper Egypt & West Delta

In the first phase, elections were held from 17 to 28 October 2015 in the fourteen governorates of the Upper Egypt and West Delta regions, namely the governorates of Giza, Fayoum, Beni Suef, Minya, Asyut, New Valley, Sohag, Qena, Luxor, Aswan, Red Sea, Alexandria, Beheira, and Matruh.

For these governorates, the first round of elections took place on 18 to 19 October for Egyptian residents, while it took place on 17 to 18 October for Egyptian expatriates. Runoffs were held on 27 to 28 October for Egyptians residents, and on 26 to 27 October for Egyptian expatriates.^[6]

Nominations started on 1 September,^[1] and lasted until 12 September (with the exception of the Qena and Qoss districts, which were extended until 15 September),^[7] though candidates had until 15 September to submit the necessary medical tests.^[8] Campaigning for the first phase started on 29 September^[9] and ended on 15 October.^[10]

Second phase: Central and East Delta

In the second phase, elections took place from 21 November to 2 December 2015 in the remaining nine governorates of the Central Delta and East Delta regions, namely the governorates of Cairo, Qalyubia, Dakahlia, Monufia, Gharbia, Kafr el-Sheikh, Sharqia, Damietta, Port Said, Ismailia, Suez, North Sinai, and South Sinai.

For these governorates, the first round of elections took place on 22 to 23 November for Egyptian residents and 21 to 22 November for Egyptian expatriates. Runoffs were held on 1 to 2 December for Egyptian residents, and on 30 November to 1 December for Egyptian expatriates.^[6]

Campaigning started on 2 November and ended on 20 November 2015.^[11]

Candidates

On 16 September, the High Elections Committee announced the initial list of accepted candidates. While nine electoral lists were accepted, five more lists were rejected, including two of the three lists of the Egypt coalition (Egyptian Front & Independent Current Coalition) as well as the lists of Upper Egypt's Voice, Call of Egypt and Knights of Egypt.^[12] After appealing to court, all rejected lists but the one by Upper Egypt's Voice were admitted. The final list of candidates for the first phase was announced on 28 September.^[6]

A total of 7 electoral lists are contesting the 120 fixed-list seats available in the four regional constituencies:

In the first phase, 2,573 individual candidates contested in 226 individual seats. Many parties are fielding individual candidates both on joint electoral lists and contesting the list-based seats.^[6]

Results

Results per party seat:

  Free Egyptians Party: 65 seats

  Nation's Future Party: 53 seats

  New Wafd Party: 36 seats

  Homeland Defenders Party: 18 seats

  Republican People's Party: 13 seats

  Conference Party: 12 seats

  al-Nour Party: 11 seats

  Conservative Party: 6 seats

  Democratic Peace Party: 5 seats

  Egyptian Social Democratic Party: 4 seats

  Egyptian Patriotic Movement: 4 seats

  Modern Egypt Party: 4 seats

  Reform and Development Party: 3 seats

  Freedom Party: 3 seats

  My Homeland Egypt Party: 3 seats

  National Progressive Unionist Party: 2 seats

  Arab Democratic Nasserist Party: 1 seat

  Revolutionary Guards Party: 1 seat

  Free Egyptian Building Party: 1 seat

First phase

^[14][15]

The results for expatriate voting during the first phase were announced on 20 October 2015.^[16]

Boycotts

A number of parties boycotted the election, claiming that the process was unfair. These included the following:

• Bread and Freedom Party^[17]
• Building and Development Party^[18]
• Civil Democratic Current (withdrew from the election for lack of funds)^[19]
• Freedom Egypt Party^[17]
• Homeland Party^[20]
• National Conciliation Party (withdrew from the election)^[21]
• Reawakening of Egypt (will not participate in the election)^[22]
• Revolutionary Socialists^[23]
• Social Justice Coalition (chose not to participate in the election)^[24]
• Strong Egypt Party^[17]
• Al-Wasat Party^[25]

Rules for media coverage of elections by Supreme Electoral Commission

• Maintain objectivity and refrain from inserting personal views in news
• Deliver accurate information
• Refrain from using misleading titles or pictures unrelated to content
• Refrain from using vague designations
• It is strictly forbidden to ask voters who they will vote for
• It is forbidden to conduct polls and surveys in front of polling stations
• It is forbidden to phrase questions in a way that encourages a particular response
• Reporters must respect the right of reply^[26]

References

Elections and referendums in Egypt
Presidential elections	1956 1958 1965 1970 1976 1981 1987 1993 1999 2005 2012 2014 2018
Parliamentary elections	1883 1889 1895 1901 1907 1913 1923–24 1925 1926 1929 1936 1942 1945 1950 1957 1964 1969 1971 1976 1979 1984 1987 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2011–12 2015
Shura Council elections	1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004 2007 2010 2012
Referendums	1956 1958 1968 1971 (1 Sep) 1971 (11 Sep) 1974 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1987 1990 2005 2007 2011 2012 2014