Sisi, Abdel Fattah el- (1954-…), became president of Egypt in June 2014. Sisi is considered an independent—that is, he does not belong to a political party. Until March 2014, Sisi was commander in chief of the Egyptian armed forces. Around the time Sisi became president, Egypt faced a number of challenges, including government corruption, poverty, and political and religious unrest. Sisi replaced interim President Adly Mansour, who had replaced President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.
Sisi was born on Nov. 19, 1954, in Cairo, the Egyptian capital. His father ran a shop in a famous suq (market), the Khan al-Khalili. Sisi grew up in the nearby quarter of Gamaleya. In 1977, Sisi graduated from the Egyptian Military Academy and entered the army. He rose in rank over the years, eventually joining Egypt’s elite Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. The military council took control of Egypt following the resignation of long-time President Hosni Mubarak in February 2011.
In June 2012, Morsi became president of Egypt. In August, Morsi named Sisi minister of defense and commander in chief of the armed forces. In July 2013, however, mass protests and antigovernment demonstrations erupted in several Egyptian cities. The Egyptian army—led by Sisi—suspended the constitution and forced Morsi from office. Sisi named Mansour to replace Morsi and placed Morsi under arrest.
In 2014, Sisi resigned as commander in chief of the armed forces to run for president. He easily won the presidential election that May. In elections in 2018 and 2024, Sisi was reelected against little opposition.
