Many Egyptian voters shunned the first phase of a parliamentary election on Sunday that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has hailed as a milestone on the road to democracy but his critics have branded as a sham.

Polling stations visited by Reuters correspondents pointed to a turnout of around 10 percent, in sharp contrast to the long lines that formed in the 2012 election, suggesting that Sisi, who has enjoyed cult-like adulation, is losing popularity.

Tensions between the Mustaqbal Movement and Hizbullah reached their peak over the weekend in light of party chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's response to Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq's recent speech, with the cleric stressing his commitment to dialogue and the minister threatening to quit it, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Monday.

The dispute between the two sides is threatening the 20th Mustaqbal-Hizbullah dialogue scheduled for October 26 and the country's national dialogue.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam hoped that the obstacles hindering the cabinet from convening would be overcome this week in order to call it to session, reported the daily An Nahar on Monday.

He told the daily: “How is it that all sides are committed to the government and yet they do not help eliminate hurdles that are hampering its productivity?”

An Nahar said that the premier is waiting for the appropriate time to call cabinet to session.

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah stated on Sunday that the party does not approve to topple the cabinet despite its slow performance, affirming that Hizbullah commits to dialogue despite warnings that some parties might withdraw from the sessions.

“We reaffirm our commitment for dialogue and convergence among the Lebanese. We have participated in this government for the security and political stability in Lebanon,” said Nasrallah in a televised appearance.

The polls opened for more than 90,000 Turkish citizens living in the United States on Oct. 17 for the snap Turkish parliamentary elections on Nov. 1, and will last until Oct. 25. 

Ballot boxes at seven Turkish representatives across the U.S. were set up on Oct. 17 for some 91,304 Turkish electorates living in the U.S. to cast their votes for the upcoming elections. 

Turkish voters have begun to vote at Turkey’s representatives in New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Boston and Miami.

The source of the current instability in Turkey was the Justice and Development Party (AKP), Turkey’s nationalist leader has said while delivering a speech to a huge crowd at an election rally in Istanbul.

“Turkey is going to the polls [again]… It is clear, in the current environment and conditions, the reason for instability [in Turkey] is the AKP,” Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) head Devlet Bahçeli said on Oct. 18, during his party’s election rally in Istanbul’s Yenikapı neighborhood, Cihan News Agency reported.