Egyptian referendum on multi-candidates in presidential candidates approved

The Egyptian minister of the Interior Habib al-Adeli on Thursday announced the success of the referendum to amend of the constitution that would permit multiple candidates to participate in presidential elections.

In a speech broadcast by the Egyptian TV, the Egyptian minister said that the percentage of supporters for the constitutional amendment reached 82.88% of the total number of voters while those who rejected it reached 17.14%, noting that the rate of participating in the referendum reached 53.46%.

He stressed that 17 million voters took part in the referendum among 32 million registered persons eligible to vote. A source at the ministry of the interior said that the rate of participation is considered the highest in the history of referendums in Egypt.

According to the constitutional amendment, the recognized parties can propose candidates to enter the presidential elections unconditionally this year. However, in the next elections the targeted party wishing to be nominated should be five years old and to get 5% of the seats of the People's Assembly and the Shoura Council.

The independent candidate needs, even in the elections of this year, the support of 65 members among 444 elected members in the People's Assembly and 25 members in the Shoura Council and 140 members in 14 governorate councils at least and 20 members of the parliament or the governorate councils where the ruling national party is dominating.

The opposition described these conditions as impossible to be fulfilled and as aiming to alienate independent candidates from the presidential elections.