CAIRO — Egyptians went to the polls Aug. 11-12 to vote for members of the newly created Senate, the upper house of parliament that has only an advisory role, with restrictive measures in place to stem the resurgence of coronavirus cases. 

Alaa Ashry, like many other Egyptians, was more preoccupied with his daily affairs than casting a ballot. “My vote will not change anything. There is no real competition between the candidates to elect an ineffective advisory council,” Ashry told Al-Monitor. 

But Fatima Mohamed, a woman in her 60s, stood in front of a polling station in al-Sayeda Zainab district in downtown Cairo, where a DJ was playing national songs on loudspeakers and others raised candidate banners. “I insisted on voting so we can lead by example for the young people. It is our duty to support our country. There is no room for a faltering stance,” she told Al-Monitor. 

Constitutional amendments approved in April 2019 strengthened the power of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, allowing him to remain in power until 2030, and reinstated the second chamber of parliament, which had been abolished in 2014. The Senate is an advisory body without legislative powers.