Egypt Launches First Phase of Two-Stage Vote for New 596‑Seat Parliament

Egypt begins first phase of two-stage parliamentary elections

On Monday, Egyptians began voting in the first phase of a two-stage process to elect a new 596-member House of Representatives. Expatriates already cast ballots on November 7–8 as part of the overseas voting schedule.

Why this vote matters

These elections follow last year’s Senate vote and are widely viewed as the final parliamentary elections during President Abdel Fattah el‑Sisi’s current term. The composition of the next parliament could influence major post‑2030 decisions and any future constitutional changes regarding presidential tenure.

Seats, quotas and the ballot

The House comprises 596 members: 284 elected from individual constituencies, 284 elected via a closed party-list system and 28 appointed by presidential decree. By law, one quarter of the seats are reserved for women.

Party-list seats are allocated across four regions: Cairo and the Central and Southern Delta (102 seats); North, Central and South Upper Egypt (102 seats); the Eastern Delta (40 seats); and the Western Delta (40 seats). Individual candidates are contesting the other 284 seats across 143 constituencies. Closed lists mean parties must be approved to appear on the ballot.

Who is running

Current party lists include 12 political parties and the Coordination Committee of Parties’ Youth Leaders and Politicians. Prominent slates include the National List for Egypt, the Generation List, the Popular List, Your Voice for Egypt List and the Egypt Call List.

Timeline, logistics and run-offs

Authorities say there are 70 counting committees and voting is taking place at 5,606 polling stations. The election is organized in two phases:

• Phase one (14 governorates): Alexandria, Assiut, Aswan, Beheira, Beni Suef, Fayoum, Giza, Luxor, Matrouh, Minya, New Valley, Qena, the Red Sea and Sohag. Phase-one results are due on November 18.
• Phase two (13 governorates): Cairo, Dakahlia, Damietta, Gharbia, Ismailia, Kafr El‑Sheikh, Menoufia, North Sinai, Port Said, Qalyubia, Sharqia, South Sinai and Suez. Overseas voting for phase two is scheduled for November 21–22, with in‑country voting on November 24–25; phase‑two results are due on December 2.

If run-offs are required after phase one, overseas voting would be held on December 1–2 and voting inside Egypt on December 3–4; results would be announced on December 11. For phase-two run-offs, overseas ballots would be December 15–16 and inside Egypt December 17–18, with final results announced on December 25. Officials caution that final tallies may not be known until late December.

Overseas arrangements

Egypt deployed extensive diplomatic arrangements for expatriate voting: 139 electoral committees were established across 117 countries and 24‑hour operation rooms were set up in missions to coordinate with the National Elections Authority in Cairo. State‑linked Ahram Online reported preparations ran smoothly.

Political context and public concerns

President el‑Sisi is serving a third term. A 2019 constitutional amendment extended the permissible length of his tenure through 2030, and observers note that a future parliament could again consider constitutional changes.

Domestically, many voters say their primary concerns are the economy, rising cost of living and access to healthcare. A proposed rental law that could displace millions from rent‑controlled housing is also a pressing issue for many Egyptians.

"[T]he 2025 parliament will serve as both a legal and political instrument through which the Egyptian authorities channel key post‑2030 decisions," wrote Halem Henish, a legal associate at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, in October. "The composition of that parliament will directly reflect the Egyptian authorities’ intentions for the future."

Members of the House serve five‑year terms; the current chamber was elected in late 2020 and its term expires in January 2026.