CAIRO — A number of Egyptian political parties, movements and figures announced in January their boycott of the presidential election scheduled for mid-March to protest what they said were regime practices “preventing any fair competition” and “resembling the practices of primitive dictatorships.” Such practices include the unconstitutional extension of the state of emergency and the use of media outlets to discredit potential competitors.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and head of Al-Ghad Party Moussa Mustafa Moussa are the only candidates set to compete in the election, as all those who had announced their intention to run withdrew from the race.

The boycotting forces include pro-Islamist parties such as the Strong Egypt Party, the eight secular and left-wing parties of the Civil Democratic Movement, liberal and left-wing political movements such as the April 6 Youth Movement and the Revolutionary Socialists Organization.

The National Alliance in Support of Electoral Legitimacy (NASEL), which includes the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist parties, has yet to issue a statement regarding the presidential election but is unlikely to do so. Since the overthrow of former President Mohammed Morsi in July 2013, this alliance has refused adamantly to recognize the existing regime.