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Politics

Egyptian President el-Sissi sworn in

June 2, 2018

The former intelligence chief won a controversial election in March that was marked by intimidation and violence. He begins a second four-year term having imposed a sweeping crackdown on dissent.

Egyptian President el-Sissi in the well of the parliament during his swearing in ceremony.
Image: picture-alliance/Xinhua/MENA

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi was sworn in for a second term on Saturday, little more than two months after winning an election that critics have widely regarded as a sham.

El-Sissi, 63, took the oath of office before a packed session of parliament, in a ceremony that was broadcast live on state television.

Egypt in the age of el-Sissi

01:58

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El-Sissi was re-elected to a four-year term after winning 97 percent of the vote with voter turnout at 41 percent in a March election that featured no serious opposition. The only challenger was himself, a strident supporter of the president.

Crackdown on dissent

All of the serious opposition candidates abandoned their campaigns in January. The top challenger was arrested and his campaign manager beaten up. Other legitimate contenders soon withdrew from the race, citing intimidation.

El-Sissi, a former intelligence chief and defense minister, led the military coup in 2013 of Egypt's first freely elected president, Islamist Mohammed Morsi, amid widespread protests against his divisive rule.

Under el-Sissi, security forces have waged a widespread crackdown on dissent, jailing thousands of Islamists as well as secular activists.

Unauthorized protests have been outlawed and hundreds of websites, including those of independent media and human rights groups, have been blocked.

Quadriga - Egypt - Legitimizing the Coup

42:32

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bik/sms (AP, Reuters, AFP, dpa)

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