Abdel Fattah al Sisi re-elected Egypt president as spoilt ballots outnumber rival
The President wins a landslide victory with 97% of votes, but turnout dropped to just over 40%.
Monday 2 April 2018 18:01, UK
The Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi has been re-elected in a landslide victory.
He secured more than 97% of votes on a 41% turnout in the ballot held last week.
Mr al Sisi faced no serious challenge, after a string of candidates were arrested or withdrew under pressure.
His sole opponent Moussa Mustafa Moussa was a supporter of the President and took few opportunities to test him.
Mr Moussa registered as a candidate days before the closing date - critics of the regime claimed the move was to stop it becoming a one horse race.
He won less than 3% of the vote, while over 7% of all those cast were spoilt or deemed "invalid".
The figures were released by the electoral commission on Monday and show turnout dropped significantly from 47% in 2014.
Mr Moussa conceded defeat days earlier, admitting he hoped for 10% of the vote.
"But I know the immense popularity of President Sisi," he said.
The result secures Mr al Sisi's position and his direction for Egypt, following the revolution that began in 2011.
His predecessor, Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, was the first democratically-elected president - but ousted by Mr al Sisi in 2013.
Mr al Sisi posted a picture of himself on Twitter after the final election results were announced with the caption: "Long live Egypt."
He is a former army officer, and was born in the heart of Islamic Cairo in 1954.
He graduated from Egypt's Military Academy in 1977, later studying in Britain and the United States.