Johannesburg: EgyPulse – News Desk
Egyptians living abroad began casting their votes today, November 7, 2025, in the first phase of Egypt’s parliamentary elections. This global electoral exercise, overseen by the National Election Authority (NEA), marks a significant moment in Egypt’s democratic calendar, enabling citizens across 117 countries to participate in shaping the next House of Representatives.
Voting for expatriates is scheduled over three days, from November 7 to 9, with polling stations set up at Egyptian embassies and consulates worldwide. These diplomatic missions have been transformed into electoral hubs, equipped with operations rooms to monitor the process and ensure transparency. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has played a central role in coordinating logistics and safeguarding the integrity of the vote.
Only Egyptians who registered on the NEA website between September 27 and October 10 are eligible to vote. Registered voters download their ballot papers from the NEA portal and submit them in person at designated diplomatic locations. The process is synchronized across time zones, with New Zealand being the first to open its polling station due to its 11-hour lead over Cairo.
The parliamentary elections are structured to fill 596 seats in the House of Representatives. Of these, 284 are contested by individual candidates, another 284 are allocated through absolute closed party lists, and 28 members are appointed by presidential decree. This hybrid system aims to balance individual representation with party-driven governance.
The second phase of voting for Egyptians abroad will take place from November 21 to 23, mirroring the domestic voting schedule set for November 10–11 and November 24–25. As the ballots begin to flow in from across continents, Egypt’s commitment to inclusive democratic participation is once again on display, reaffirming the role of its global diaspora in national decision-making.
