Sisi Urges 'Unprecedented' Turnout in May Presidential Poll

Egypt's former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday urged an "unprecedented" turnout in a May presidential election he is expected to win almost 11 months after ousting the elected leader.

Sisi is expected to easily defeat his only rival, leftist Hamdeen Sabbahi, in the May 26-27 election, riding on a wave of support for overthrowing the freely elected but divisive Islamist president Mohammed Morsi on July 3.

Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood movement and many other Islamists say they will boycott the vote, which will take place amid a massive crackdown on Morsi's supporters that has killed more than 1,400 people in clashes.

Sisi's comments, made during a meeting with investors in the tourism industry, were distributed by his campaign team.

He urged an "unprecedented turnout in the next presidential election, regardless of who wins."

Sisi, who promised to revive the country's foundering economy and restore stability, blamed religious extremism for damaging the country's vital tourism industry.

"The tourism sector has been continuously harmed over the past 50 years because of a religious discourse unrelated to the developments and understanding of the age," he said.