After over three years of no parliament, Egyptians voted on Sunday in the second round of the parliament elections in Cairo and 12 other provinces.
The first round of the elections that were held in mid October and hailed by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as a milestone on the army's path to democracy resulted in a low voter turnout.
The lack of interest in voting reflects disillusionment with politics but also voter fatigue after a turbulent few years.
State televisions showed, yet again, empty polling stations although the government announced, beforehand, that the half the day would be off for public sectors in order for them to participate and vote.
Some of those who abstained stated that they did not feel that the elections were legit and others said that they were not offered genuine choices.
"There is no reason to vote, these elections don’t mean anything. All these candidates are running so they can get MP perks," said Hassan, a 21-year-old student who declined to give his full name.
On the other hand, Sheikh Ahmed al Tayeb, Egypt's top Muslim cleric and the head of al-Azhar, the center of Islamic learning in the country, stated that boycotting the elections is similar to disobeying one's parents, an Islamic sin.
A woman casts her vote at a polling station during the second round of parliamentary elections. Reuters
"I urge everyone, especially the youth, to participate and cast their ballots," Tayeb told journalists outside the polling station where he voted.
"We tell boycotters to stop this immediately; Egypt is like your mother, boycotting is like disobeying your parents."
The new parliament will contain 568 elected members; 448 elected on an individual basis and 120 through winner-takes-all lists. Sisi may appoint up to a further 28 lawmakers.
A list of socialist and liberal parties which would have presented the main opposition choice eventually withdrew, leaving the field dominated by Sisi supporters, Mubarak-era figures, provincial notables and businessmen.These figures performed well in round one.
Egypt's last parliament elections were held in 2011-12, after the January 25th uprising, soon after the fall of ex-President Hosni Mubarak. The voting back then was extraordinary, as there were long queues of youth and adults with happy and hopeful faces.
Egyptians have participated in two presidential elections, two parliamentary elections and three constitutional referendums since the 2011 uprising. Polls often drag out over several weeks with different rounds and run-offs draining them of momentum.
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