Egypt's president wins second term with 97 percent of the vote after facing no serious challenge

File photo showing Egyptian president Abdelfattah Al-Sissi. (Reuters)

CAIRO: Egypt’s election commission says President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has won a second, four-year term with more than 97 percent of the vote in last week’s election, with turnout of 41.5 percent.
El-Sisi faced no serious challenger, after a string of potentially strong candidates withdrew under pressure or were arrested. His sole opponent, little-known politician Moussa Mustafa Moussa, was a supporter of the president who made no effort to challenge him. He won 2.92 percent of the vote.
Lasheen Ibrahim, the head of the country’s election commission, announced the official results on Monday.
Authorities went to great lengths to boost turnout, using the state’s vast resources to get voters out and threatening to fine anyone boycotting the election.
Later, Saudi Arabia's King Salman called president Al-Sissi and congratulated him on his election win.  
U.S. President Donald Trump also congratulated his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, on his re-election in a phone call and reaffirmed the U.S. strategic partnership with Egypt, the White House said.