{"id":17194,"date":"2025-11-24T21:57:46","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T19:57:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/?p=17194"},"modified":"2026-10-24T20:45:07","modified_gmt":"2026-10-24T18:45:07","slug":"2025-egypt-elections-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/2025-egypt-elections-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Egypt\u2019s Second Election Phase: Vote-Buying Persists Despite Annulments in 19 Constituencies"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the end of the first day of the second phase of the parliamentary elections, <\/span>video clips<\/span><\/a> spread widely from various constituencies documenting the continued distribution of electoral bribes in front of polling stations, along with <\/span>brawls<\/span><\/a> between supporters of some candidates to attract voters, in scenes that reproduce patterns that marred the first phase of the electoral process. This prompted a number of candidates to <\/span>appeal to <\/span><\/a>the Ministry of Interior and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to intervene and stop what they described as the “chaos” threatening the conduct of the electoral process and the safety of those taking part in it.<\/span><\/p>\n

These incidents took place in front of the polling stations despite the <\/span>pledges<\/span><\/a> of the “National Election Authority” to adhere to all controls so as not to repeat the violations witnessed in the first round of the elections, which led to <\/span>its rerun<\/span><\/a> in 19 constituencies. <\/span><\/p>\n

In <\/span>press statements<\/span><\/a>, Judge Ahmed Bendary, director of the executive body of the National Election Authority, affirmed “complete reassurance about the parties’ commitment to the instructions regulating campaigning in the second phase of the elections”, expecting the parties’ electoral scene to look “different during this phase”, and pointing out that a number of parties had submitted their candidates’ campaign expenditure statements.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shortly before voting began, Mohamed Farghaly, candidate No. 4 in the House of Representatives elections for the (Sayeda Zeinab \u2013 El-Darb El-Ahmar \u2013 Abdeen) constituency, announced his <\/span>withdrawal<\/span><\/a> from the electoral race. He affirmed in a statement that his decision came after deep reflection and a careful review of the electoral scene, and that he apologises only for not continuing to contest the 2025 House of Representatives elections, but does not apologise for his service to the people of the constituency, adding that he will not go back on standing by their side and repaying their kindness, and he stressed that his decision was neither weakness nor hesitation, but out of respect for them and attachment to their interests.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to two sources who spoke to Zawia3, the candidate’s withdrawal came against the background of threats received by his campaign following a meeting that brought together a number of members of his electoral team with some security men inside the Sayeda Zeinab police station. The two sources explain that the threats centred on the need to stop working for Farghaly and to turn to supporting the Homat Watan Party candidate Mohamed Sheha, son of the former National Democratic Party leader Ahmed Sheha<\/a>, a former member of the People’s Assembly for the El-Darb El-Ahmar constituency and one of the defendants in the “Battle of the Camel” case before the court acquitted him<\/a> in a ruling issued in October 2012. This prompted Farghaly to withdraw from the elections despite his popularity, for fear of security pursuit of the members of his campaign.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Voters in Egypt began casting their ballots this Monday morning in the second phase of the 2025 House of Representatives elections, which is being held over two days in 13 governorates. Polling stations opened their doors at nine in the morning, and the phase covers the governorates of Cairo, Qalyubia, Dakahlia, Gharbia, Menoufia, Kafr El-Sheikh, Sharqia, Damietta, Port Said, Ismailia, Suez, South Sinai and North Sinai.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this phase, 1,316 candidates are competing under the individual-seat system, along with a single list under the name “National List for Egypt”, which includes a number of pro-government parties and parties of the “available space” (Egyptian Social Democratic, Al-Adl, Reform and Development).<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Recommended reading: <\/b>What Was Not Officially Announced: Internal Messages Reveal the National Authority’s Role in the Chaos of the 2025 Elections<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n


\nViolations at the Doors of the Polling Stations<\/b><\/h1>\n

Hours before the start of the second phase of the House of Representatives elections, the Mostaqbal Watan Party, “the largest of the pro-government parties”, issued<\/span> a warning <\/span><\/a>against what it described as “systematic campaigns” targeting the party and its candidates via social media. The party said that what has been circulating over the past days is backed by “the Brotherhood”, while others promote it “for personal motives”, in an attempt, according to the statement, to stir up strife, spread rumours and shake citizens’ confidence in the institutions of the state and its political and social components.<\/span><\/p>\n

While the <\/span>statement<\/span><\/a> welcomed freedom of expression and the plurality of opinions within a framework of constructive criticism, it stressed, on the other hand, that the party “will not hesitate to take the necessary legal measures” against anyone who promotes rumours or spreads false information affecting the party, its leaders or its candidates.<\/span><\/p>\n

In contrast, Gehad Makhalif, the daughter of independent candidate Atef Makhalif in the Matariya constituency, observed incidents of electoral bribes being distributed in front of one of the polling stations, without any intervention from the executive authorities or the police forces present around the polling stations, according to what she <\/span>documented<\/span><\/a> in clips circulated on social media.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to witnesses in a number of constituencies and governorates, vote-buying operations began in Port Said Governorate only about two hours after the polling stations opened. According to what was documented in videos and audio recordings that reached Zawia3, the price of a single vote in the first constituency of Port Said Governorate started at EGP 200 and reached EGP 500, in favour of the Homat Watan candidate Tamer El-Hamzawy, in addition to the distribution of coupons for receiving food supplies on behalf of the independent candidate Mohamed Abou Taleb.<\/span>
\nIn the second constituency, eyewitnesses and sources who spoke to Zawia3 reported observing incidents in which counterfeit money in EGP 200 notes was distributed to voters, in an attempt to influence their choices. These incidents did not last long, once the matter was exposed and the money in circulation was discovered to be counterfeit.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the same context, candidate El-Husseiny Mohamed Ibrahim, known as El-Husseiny Abu Qamar, secretary of the National Front Party in Port Said and running as an independent in the constituency, distributed sums of money to voters, according to what the same sources confirmed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Zawia3 obtained video clips from the El-Salam and El-Nahda constituency documenting the distribution of sums of money to voters after they were asked to present their identity cards, with the aim of influencing their vote in favour of the pro-government parties, especially the Homat Watan Party and the Republican People’s Party.<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\u0623\u062b\u0646\u0627\u0621-\u062a\u0648\u0632\u064a\u0639-\u0627\u0644\u0627\u0645\u0648\u0627\u0644-\u0627\u0644\u0633\u0644\u0627\u0645-\u0648\u0627\u0644\u0646\u0647\u0636\u0629.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n

Video of money being distributed in front of the polling stations in El-Salam and El-Nahda<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After these incidents, candidate Ahmed Ismail announced his <\/span>withdrawal<\/span><\/a> from the parliamentary elections in the El-Salam and El-Nahda constituency. Ismail said in a statement:<\/span>
\n<\/span> “I stood for the 2025 House of Representatives elections in response to your wish and of my own individual will, and today I offer you my apology for not completing the electoral process, despite all the love and support I received from the people of El-Salam and El-Nahda. However, for reasons and circumstances that I keep to myself, I took this decision out of respect for myself, for my history with you and for our dear country, Egypt.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/signal-2025-11-24-204240_002.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n

A second video of money being distributed in front of the polling stations in El-Salam and El-Nahda<\/em>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

According to what Zawia3 documented, the Dar El-Salam and El-Basateen constituency recorded several electoral violations committed by Islam Kortam, the Conservative Party candidate, and his electoral campaign, including the use of political money, while Kortam allied himself with the candidates of the pro-government parties, foremost among them the Mostaqbal Watan candidate, in contradiction of his party’s opposition stance on alliances with the pro-government parties; this is the same thing that candidate Ehab El-Kholy did in the Imbaba constituency, where he presented himself as “the security candidate”, which prompted MP Nashwa El-Deeb to withdraw from the race.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n


\nRecommended reading:<\/b> The Battle for Parliament: National Security Candidates Against Intelligence Candidates<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n


\nNothing New in the Second Phase<\/b><\/h1>\n

For his part, Karam Abdel Halim, candidate for the first constituency in Ismailia Governorate, says that for the first two hours the process went normally, but things changed quickly with the appearance of electoral bribes, which were represented by the pro-government parties, foremost among them the Mostaqbal Watan Party.<\/span><\/p>\n

Speaking to Zawia3, Abdel Halim adds that the violations turned into incidents of violence and thuggery, as some candidates fought among themselves over influence and the mobilisation of voters.<\/span><\/p>\n

The candidate points to the weak turnout for voting, considering that this reflects the impact of the prevailing political climate, and considering that the electoral process is unhealthy and lacks a sound electoral foundation.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the intervention of the executive authorities to curb the violations, Abdel Halim says that he did not notice any effective intervention, pointing to a negligence that led to the electoral scene appearing in this bad form.<\/span><\/p>\n

Comparing the two phases, the candidate explains: “There has been no improvement; on the contrary, the electoral handouts changed from boxes to cash, and the crowding in front of the polling stations was replaced by the presence of the candidates’ thugs at a distance from the polling station, which is worse than the first phase.”<\/span><\/p>\n

For her part, Monica Magdy, independent candidate for the Shubra constituency, explains to “Zawia3” that the electoral scene “has not registered any change”, affirming that she observed fake crowds in front of some polling stations, organised in favour of a number of candidates after national ID cards had been collected from citizens. She also observed some violations, such as the distribution of money to voters.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In this context, Mariam Farouk, spokesperson for the Free Path Alliance, says that the second phase of the elections saw a turnout of voters, unlike the first phase, affirming that almost all the polling stations opened at the same time without any delay.<\/span><\/p>\n

Farouk explains to “Zawia3” that electoral bribes still exist and have spread blatantly in front of some polling stations in the governorates of Cairo in general, and in Suez as well, especially among the candidates of the National Alliance (the pro-government parties). She adds that there is a large mobilisation of voters in favour of some candidates in front of the polling stations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Farouk points out that the difference between the first and the second phase consisted only in the increase in the number of voters in front of the polling stations and the disappearance of the widespread campaign publicity of some parties in front of the electoral premises, while the phenomenon of vote-buying continued.<\/span><\/p>\n

For its part, the Ministry of Interior affirmed that over the past hours it had detected the circulation on social media of a number of video clips whose publishers claimed that there were violations in front of some polling stations, although the circulating clips do not show any violations in their content, and their owners have not filed official reports proving what they are promoting.<\/span><\/p>\n

The ministry stressed in<\/span> a statement<\/span><\/a> that it will take decisive legal measures against those promoting these claims, while at the same time affirming its call to citizens to report any genuine violations occurring outside the polling station premises, so that they can be examined and dealt with in accordance with the law.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the operations room of the National Election Authority <\/span>recorded<\/span><\/a> a number of violations from the opening of the polling stations at nine in the morning until midday, consisting of one of the candidates staging an incident, filming it and broadcasting it live, and a police report was filed regarding the incident. <\/span><\/p>\n

The authority also recorded violations relating to the distribution of money to voters to direct them to vote for a specific candidate, and Gharbia Governorate was among the governorates most affected by these practices. The authority also announced that a police report had been filed against a voter after he photographed the ballot paper, with the authority affirming that any form of photography inside the polling stations is prohibited.<\/span><\/p>\n

While the second phase of the House of Representatives elections is being held in the context of an unprecedented decision to cancel the results of 19 constituencies in the first round because of “influential violations”, which included campaigning in front of polling station premises and the failure to hand over vote-count records to the candidates, a number of sources and candidates affirm that substantial violations are still continuing during the current phase.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although the cancellation decision came in response to a direct directive from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on the need to guarantee the highest degree of transparency in the electoral process, the incidents recorded on the ground indicate the continuation of practices liable to affect the integrity of the elections and their results.<\/span><\/p>\n

Editorial correction: The first version of the report quoted Mariam Farouk as saying that the first phase of the elections saw a turnout of voters, unlike the first phase; the correct version is that she meant the second phase, as is clear from her comparison between the two phases in the following paragraph.<\/em><\/p>\n

Editorial correction: The caption of the first video clip in the first version of the report stated that it was from the “Dar El-Salam and El-Nahda” constituency; the correct constituency is “El-Salam and El-Nahda”, as stated in the body of the report, which is a different constituency from the “Dar El-Salam and El-Basateen” constituency.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Zawia3 documented the distribution of electoral bribes of up to EGP 500 per vote, and the withdrawal of candidates after direct security threats, along with incidents of the use of political money and fake crowds in the second phase of the 2025 elections.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":14666,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[412],"tags":[],"kateb":[710],"class_list":["post-17194","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics-en","kateb-zawia3-com"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\u0646\u0633\u062e\u0629-\u0645\u0646-\u0628\u0646\u062c-\u0627\u0644\u0623\u0633\u0646\u0627\u0646-1.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17194","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17194"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17194\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24259,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17194\/revisions\/24259"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14666"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17194"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17194"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17194"},{"taxonomy":"kateb","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kateb?post=17194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}