Egypt’s Recent Elections deemed a Failure Amid Allegations of Political Engineering
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A recent analysis indicates that Egypt’s latest parliamentary elections were marred by systemic issues, including alleged political manipulation and a lack of genuine opposition, ultimately resulting in a “politically stillborn” parliament. The assessment comes from Magdy El-Gallad, editor-in-chief of the ONA Foundation for Press and Media, during an interview on the “Out of the Box” programme on Al-Arabiya channel on november 17, 2025.
Engineered Outcome and Disregard for Public Will
El-Gallad asserted that attempts at political engineering undertaken by pro-government parties in collaboration with state agencies were unsuccessful “at all levels.” He stated that these parties openly acknowledged conceding certain constituencies to self-reliant candidates, revealing a deliberate effort to shape the electoral landscape. This manipulation, he argued, not only disregarded the will of the Egyptian people but also created a “entirely distorted electoral scene.”
Alexandria district Highlights Widespread Irregularities
Specific concerns were raised regarding the Montazah district in Alexandria, home to over 2.5 million voters. According to El-Gallad, voter turnout in the district did not exceed 10%, and documented evidence – including video footage – allegedly showed ballot boxes being opened prematurely and votes being falsified. These violations prompted withdrawals from independent and opposition candidates, a response, El-Gallad noted, that was even monitored by the president himself.
The Question of “Loyalty” and Lack of Accountability
A central theme of the critique revolves around the concept of “loyalty,” which El-Gallad highlighted as a newly explicit element in Egyptian politics. The National List, comprising 12 parties and the Youth Coordination, explicitly framed itself as representing “loyalty,” prompting the question: “Loyalty to whom?” El-gallad explained that, in practice, this “loyalty” appeared directed toward the executive authority, rather then the Parliament’s intended role of oversight and accountability.
He further emphasized the lack of parliamentary scrutiny,noting that the previous parliament failed to issue a single interrogation to the government over a five-year period. He anticipates the current parliament will follow suit, lacking a meaningful opposition – mirroring the previous assembly which had only three opposition representatives out of 596. “There is a complete exclusion of the other as if he is neither national nor
Why did this happen? According to Magdy el-Gallad,the core issue is a lack of separation of powers and the coordination between pro-government factions and those identifying as opposition in allocating seats. This, coupled with a deficiency in genuinely functioning political parties, led to a parliament lacking independent oversight.
Who is involved? Magdy El-Gallad, editor-in-chief of the ONA Foundation for Press and Media, is the primary source of this assessment. The involved parties include pro-government factions, opposition parties, state agencies, and the Egyptian electorate.
What occurred? Egypt’s recent parliamentary elections were allegedly marred by political engineering, low voter turnout (as low as 10% in some districts), and documented irregularities like premature ballot box openings and vote falsification. The resulting parliament is described as “politically stillborn.”
How did it end? The elections concluded with a parliament dominated by pro-government forces, lacking a meaningful opposition. Independent and opposition candidates withdrew in protest of the irregularities. El-Gallad predicts the new parliament will continue the trend of the previous one, failing to provide any scrutiny of the executive branch.
