World Bulletin/News Desk

The main support bloc of ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi has called for a fresh week of protests in the run-up to this month's presidential election.

In a Thursday statement, the National Alliance for the Defense of Legitimacy described as a "farce" the May 26-27 election, in which former army chief Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi will face off against leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi.

Expatriate Egyptians on Thursday began casting ballots in the poll, the first since the army, led by al-Sisi, unseated Morsi – Egypt's first freely elected president – last July.

The pro-Morsi alliance has called on supporters to boycott the election, which is the second phase of an army-imposed transitional roadmap unveiled following Morsi's overthrow.

Since his ouster last summer, Morsi supporters have staged almost daily rallies to demand his reinstatement.