Egypt's Sisi wins landslide re-election amid mounting crises

Election authorities on Monday said Sisi captured 89.6 percent of ballots cast over three days of polls ending December 12th

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Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi attends an emergency summit of Gulf Arab leaders in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi attends an emergency summit of Gulf Arab leaders in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.(AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has cruised to a landslide victory in this week's national election, claiming a third term in office even as the country grapples with economic hardship and regional instability.

Election authorities on Monday said Sisi captured 89.6 percent of ballots cast over three days of polls ending December 12th. 

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Turnout reached an unprecedented 66.8 percent, officials stated.

The lopsided win came as no surprise despite mounting public frustrations. Sisi faced only marginal opposition candidates as he extends his decade-long rule over the Arab world's most populous nation. 

Amr Nabil / AP
An Egyptian truck delivering fuel to the Gaza Strip crosses from Gaza to Egypt at Rafah, Egypt, as a temporary ceasefire went into effect.Amr Nabil / AP

Egypt now stares down its worst financial slump in decades just as tensions flare in neighboring Gaza. The currency has plunged in value, inflation has soared past 35 percent, and poverty spread even before recent crises.

Follow the latest updates on the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza>>>

Sisi's next six-year term starts in April. He has said it will be his last under constitutional term limits, though whether he steps down could prove uncertain given his consolidated power.

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