A file photo from Egypt's National Elections Authority presser in Cairo. Photo : Al-Ahram
Ahmed Bendari, Executive Director of the NEA and chairman of the committee receiving applications for the 2024 presidential elections, said that none of the presidential hopefuls submitted their papers on Thursday, 5 October, which marked the first day of the period the NEA had set for potential candidates to submit their papers.
In a media statement, Bendari explained that presidential hopefuls should submit all required documents, including 20 endorsements from MPs in the House of Representatives or 25,000 endorsements from citizens across at least 15 governorates, from 5 to 14 October.
Bendari confirmed that the committee has been equipped with scanners to verify the validity and number of the endorsements submitted by the potential candidates, adding that each candidate shall receive an electoral symbol on a first-come, first-served basis.
President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi announced Monday that he intends to run for another term.
Several political figures have announced their plans to compete in the upcoming elections.
Those who announced their intention to submit for candidacy include Farid Zahran, chairman of the leftist Egyptian Social Democratic Party; Abdel-Sanad Yamama, head of the liberal Wafd Party; and Hazem Omar, head of the People's Republican Party.
Public notary offices nationwide have been receiving citizens seeking to issue endorsements for potential candidates since 25 September and will continue doing so through 14 October.
The NEA will announce the tally of endorsements submitted to the authority and an initial list of those individuals who qualified to become candidates on 16 October.
The election authority will accept appeals against its disqualification decisions on 17-18 October and rule on them between 19 and 21 October.
The authority will announce the reason for any disqualifications on 22 October.
The final list of qualified candidates will be released on 9 November.
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