Mohamed Al Sadat’s withdrawal from the presidential race tops coverage of Egypt

Topping coverage of Egypt this morning is Mohamed Al Sadat’s withdrawal from the presidential race. The foreign press appeared shocked at the press conference, where it was widely expected that he would announce his candidacy.

Meanwhile, he Guardian’s editorial board penned a scathing opinion piece bashing the elections and the state of democracy in Egypt, which it says “is at present a sham.” The lack of real competition against President Abdel Fattah El Sisi “is a profoundly depressing but wholly expected turn of events in Egypt,” and will likely result in the elections being no more than a poll that will keep El Sisi in power, the writers say.