The candidacy of belly dancer Sama El Masry for the upcoming parliamentary elections has stirred controversy in Egypt. Some deem her entry into the race as the natural right of all Egyptian citizens, while others reject the candidacy of a belly dancer known for her “immoral” video clips. Masry has previously made some shocking statements, saying in July 2013 that some viewers use her videos as a substitute for pornographic movies.

Masry (real name: Samia Ahmed Atiyah Abd al-Rahman) holds a bachelor's degree in English literature from Zagazig University. Her father is a history teacher and she started her career as the host of a music show called "Clips" on al-Mehwar satellite channel, she moved on to dancing when the show was unsuccessful.

Masry garnered wide popularity with her opposition videos about the Muslim Brotherhood regime, former President Mohammed Morsi and US President Barack Obama. Her channel, called “Al-Foloul” ("The Remnants," widely used during the revolution to refer to figures from the former regime) mocks the Islamic movement with its suggestive scenes.