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Why Egypt's Sisi welcomes Trump win

While Egypt's president and his supporters have welcomed the election of Donald Trump, the country's liberals and pro-democracy activists aren't as pleased.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump holds a bilateral meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Manhattan, New York, U.S., September 19, 2016.  REUTERS/Carlo Allegri - RTSOIET

Egyptians received news of Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election with mixed reactions, ranging from celebration to disappointment and even outright despair.

While President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and his supporters welcomed the news of Trump becoming the 45th president of the United States, Egypt’s liberals and pro-democracy activists expressed shock and anguish on social media networks. The widely divergent views on the shocking election outcome reflect the increased polarization in Egyptian society, a society as divided as the American electorate itself.

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