Sisi clear winner in early Egyptian expat results

Former Egyptian army chief Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi is a clear winner in the early results of the presidential election’s expat vote, his campaign announced on Monday night.

The numbers showed overwhelming support for Sisi in comparison to his rival, leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi. More than 300,000 Egyptian expats voted from Thursday through to Monday, the foreign ministry announced.

“According to the campaign, Sisi garnered 97 percent of valid votes in Australia (4,672 out of 4,816 and 33 invalid ballots), 93 percent in New Zealand (41 of 44 valid votes) and likewise in China's Shanghai (66 of 71 valid votes),” Egypt’s Ahram newspaper reported.

Egyptian expats back Sisi

Infographic: Egyptian expats back Sisi

“Sisi also took 77 percent of votes in the Philippines' Manila (30 out of 39) and 91 percent in Indonesia's capital Jakarta (59 out of 65),” the report added.

In London, the Egyptian embassy announced that Sisi won 90.6 percent of the vote.

Full results are expected to be released later today.

Nearly 6-8 million Egyptians live abroad, according to estimated official figures. But only 600,000 expats had registered to vote in the presidential elections.

The polls represent a milestone in the political roadmap set by the military-backed authorities following the ouster of President Mohammad Mursi last July.

Sisi, who orchestrated the military overthrow of Mursi, is widely expected to garner the highest amount of votes.

Meanwhile, the European Union said Monday it will observe next week's presidential election in Egypt after authorities allowed in communications equipment, two days after announcing the mission had been scrapped.

The EU, which had accepted an invitation from the military-installed authorities to monitor the May 26-27 election, had said on Saturday it would be unable to do its job after Egyptian customs held up the equipment.

"The European Union observer mission is able to continue (its mission). However, it will have to make adjustments," Mario David, the head of the EU observer mission, told reporters in Cairo.

A team of 45 observers was already in Cairo and would soon deploy across the country, said the EU parliamentarian from Portugal.