The presidential elections were the main issue that engaged the press this week. Newspapers allocated pages for extensive coverage of the participation of citizens in the event in the governorates. Headlines highlighted the importance of the poll as well as its large-scale participation. A headline in Al-Ahram described the high turnout as ‘A bullet in the heart of terrorism', Al-Watan had ‘Millions of voters flock to polling stations', and Al-Youm Al-Sabei noted that Egyptians are in the presidential election queues. Wa'el Al-Semari questioned the reasons that prompted voters to head to polling stations to take part in an election that has predictable results. It is, Al-Semari wrote, an indication that the election is the most positive step in the political life of Egypt. “The first day of the election proved that Egypt is capable of fighting three major battles: terrorism, political reform and economic change. President Al-Sisi's second term will be the start of sowing the fruit of these battles,” Al-Semari wrote in the daily Al-Youm Al-Sabei. Emadeddin Adeeb wrote that during election time, the voter becomes the ruler and the candidate the ruled. “Egyptians take part in making their future when they decide to vote for this or that candidate, nullify their vote or even boycott. While boycotting is a right, it is a passive stand because it is based on refraining from participating in a right,” Adeeb wrote in the daily Al-Watan. Those who believe that President Al-Sisi is unchallenged in the election, Adeeb added, are mistaken. He is challenged by Erdogan, Tamim, Netanyahu, the Muslim Brotherhood and the American fifth column. He is challenged, Adeeb elaborated, by bureaucracy, Virus C, corruption, administrative leniency, political folly and distrust. Ahmed Abdel-Tawab focused on how the election is likely to affect terrorism. He noted that terrorists are furious from the blows they have received in Sinai and from the unexpected high turnout of Egyptian expatriates who voted last week. And that, Abdel-Tawab added in his regular column in the daily Al-Ahram, was the motive behind their latest failed attempt to assassinate Alexandria's security chief. “That crime highlighted the inevitability of applying the most up to date security equipment. Streets can no longer remain without a comprehensive system of surveillance cameras. Shops should also use cameras that should be connected to a central operation room in the nearest police station,” Abdel-Tawab wrote. Presidential elections By Amr Selim, Al-Masy Al-Youm
