4,000 Egyptian expats vote in run-offs of Egypt polls so far

An Egyptian foreign ministry official said that around 4,000 expats participated in the run-off votes of the first stage of parliamentary elections Monday.

Assistant Foreign Minister Hamdi Loza described the turnout of Egyptian expatriates as “acceptable”, Al-Ahram Arabic news website reported.

Loza told reporters that Kuwait saw the highest turnout.

The figures are estimates, with final tallies for Monday yet to be released.

Egyptian embassies and consulates in 139 countries opened their doors on Monday to receive expats wishing to cast their ballots in the run-offs ballots.

Polls will remain open from 9am to 9pm on Tuesday.

Last week, 30,531 Egyptian expats cast their vote in the first stage of the elections, according to the High Elections Committee.

Egypt’s parliament — the House of Representatives — ‎will be comprised of 596 members, 448 elected as independents ‎and 120 from party-based lists. The remaining 28 seats ‎will be filled by presidential appointees.

The country has been without a parliament since the previous legislature, elected in late 2011, was dissolved in June 2012 after a court ruled electoral laws unconstitutional.

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi currently holds legislative powers.

source: Ahram Online