Cairo - On Monday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi officially announced his candidacy for a third term in the upcoming presidential election scheduled for December.

Sisi, a former army chief, has held the presidency since 2014, and it had been widely anticipated that he would seek and likely secure a third term. This expectation stemmed from constitutional amendments made four years ago, extending the potential duration of his presidency until 2030.

In recent weeks, his supporters have actively promoted his candidacy through billboards and public messages, urging him to run for reelection.

Sisi initially came to power in 2013 after leading the ousting of Mohamed Mursi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. He subsequently won the presidential elections in both 2014 and 2018, securing an overwhelming 97 percent of the vote in each instance.

The upcoming election occurs against a backdrop of significant challenges for Egypt, including soaring inflation rates and a persistent shortage of foreign currency.