Archive for parliamentary elections

Nour Party intensifies preparations for parliamentary elections

by admin
December 31st, 2012

The Salafi Nour Party announced Monday that it has intensified preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections. The party said it devised new criteria for choosing its female candidates in the next parliamentary elections.

The candidates will have to sit for tests on political and parliamentary affairs, as well as pass a general knowledge test. They would take training courses for that purpose.

Alexandria branch Secretary General Tareq Fahim said 45 candidates in Alexandria took workshops and participated in various community and political activities.

Fahim said the candidates do not necessarily have to wear the niqab, but must wear the khimar, a partial face covering, to run in the elections.

Hanan Allam, party secretary for female members, said the party would not mind fielding a Coptic female in the elections if she meets the criteria.

The party also launched a campaign Monday to collect LE1,000 from all its members to finance the election campaigns of its candidates in the next parliamentary elections.

“It is not mandatory for the members,” said Mohamed Abbas, the Cairo branch secretary in Cairo.

Abbas said many party candidates did not win in the last elections because they could not afford a comprehensive campaign.

“We do not want to make that mistake again,” he said.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

Tags: , , , , ,
Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
Comments (0)

Egyptian Islamic Jihad mulls election alliance with ‘Hazemoun’ group

by admin
December 31st, 2012

Egyptian Islamic Jihad is considering joining the emerging electoral coalition led by ultraconservative Salafi cleric Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, according to one of the organization's leaders.

Osama al-Qasem of Islamic Jihad said that the talks also include Jama'a al-Islamiya's political arm, the Construction and Development Party, who will contest in the upcoming parliamentary elections mandated by the new Constitution.

Al-Qasem said that negotiations are ongoing, but that Islamic Jihad is likely to field candidates on a shared electoral list with disqualified presidential candidate Abu Ismail's coalition, since it is expected to form the largest Islamic bloc in the elections. 

Qasem told Al-Masry Al-Youm he hopes the Construction and Development Party and other Islamist political forces including the Muslim Brotherhood will join the coalition to "form a whole Islamic alliance."

Another leader of the organization admitted that the Brotherhood is not interested in joining forces with Islamic Jihad and other ultraconservative Islamist groups "because Jihad and its thoughts do not reflect them, as they cannot tolerate the name of jihad on their lists."

Ali Farag said that Islamic Jihad would likely cooperate with Abu Ismail, who he called "the black horse in the next parliamentary season."

He said that Islamic Jihad will play to win by choosing the side most likely to gain more votes, but noted that Jama'a al-Islamiya is a logical partner for his group given their shared ideology and history. 

Farag said that his group will nominate 'historical' leading candidates including Mostafa al-Desouki, Ahmed Saleh Jahin, Osama al-Qasem, Ahmed Yousef and Abbas Shelen, in addition to a large number of group leaders in most of the Upper Egypt governorates.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

Tags: , ,
Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
Comments (0)

Morsy calls on parties to participate in national dialogue and discuss parliament election law

by admin
December 29th, 2012

President Mohamed Morsy reiterated his call to all parties to join the national dialogue he has sponsored, and through this dialogue and the Shura Council to discuss the election law for the upcoming parliamentary elections.

He said all points of view should be expressed so that the will of the people is realized and to assure the impartiality and fairness of the elections.

Morsy added, in a televised speech to the Shura Council on Saturday, that the aim of the dialogue and discussion is that the House of Representatives applies Article 5 of the Constitution which states that the sovereignty is for the people alone and that they will safeguard national unity.

Addressing members of the Shura Council, Morsy said, “you now have assumed full power to legislate until the new Council of Representatives convenes. I invite you to work hard, cooperate with the government and discuss with all political parties and forces and community agencies to issue the necessary legislation, motivated by the necessity of excellence and the pursuit of perfection.”

“Your honored Council became for the first time in the Second Republic a participant in legislation, now it fully exercises legislation. After the election of the new House of Representatives, it [the Shura Counil] will participate in the power of legislation, choose the heads of independent bodies, and develop plans for the work of these bodies, and have the responsibility to monitor the executive authority.”

The president expressed his confidence that that Egyptian people will exercise their right to vote in the next House of Representatives election under the supervision of the judiciary. He said it will the first time that the lower chamber of Parliament is a partner in choosing the government, as well as monitoring its performance.

Citing corruption, lack of accountability and unfair economic policies, Morsy blamed the former regime for some of the challenges Egypt is currently facing.

Morsy went on to say that since the first meeting of the current government in August, they have been working on urgent rescue plan to combat poverty, address corruption, and achieve an equitable balance in the distribution of tax burdens.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

Tags: , , , , ,
Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
Comments (0)

Demo in front of the parliament before Morsy’s arrival

by admin
December 29th, 2012

Dozens protested in front of the headquarters of the House of Representatives, on Saturday, before the arrival of President Mohamed Morsy to deliver a speech before members of the Shura Council.

Demonstrators included members of Shayfenkom (We Are Watching you), a citizen group monitoring violations in elections, as well as a number of workers of suspended satellite channel Faraeen.

Protestors chanted, “Down with the rule of the Supreme Guide [of the Muslim Brotherhood].”

Security in the area surrounding the Parliament was intensified, and additional iron barriers and barbed wire erected.

Morsy issued a decree on Thursday to call the Shura Council to convene on Saturday, where the president will give a speech to the body that in accordance with the new Constitution has legislative powers until parliamentary elections, after which it will pass to the House of Representatives.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

Tags: , , ,
Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
Comments (0)

National Rescue Front submits draft law to Morsy

by admin
December 28th, 2012

The National Salvation Front has submitted a draft law on the exercising of political rights to President Mohamed Morsy.

Front member Abdel Ghaffar Shokr told Al-Masry Al-Youm on Thursday that the group submitted the draft law almost a week ago to Pakinam al-Sharqawy, the presidential assistant for political affairs, after turning down outgoing Vice President Mahmoud Mekkiy’s invitation to a national dialogue.

Freedom and Justice Party member and former Shura Council majority leader Ali Fath al-Bab took part in drafting the law four years ago, Shokr said. The committee that drafted the law included experts including Abdel Moneim al-Mashat and Ali al-Sawy, political science professor Negad al-Borai, activists and representatives of civil society organizations.

According to the draft law, the High Elections Commission would have powers to guarantee international standards of integrity for elections. Nine judges would serve on the commission for three years and would not be able to take any other posts during their term. The commission would also divide electoral districts according to population, and would review the distribution periodically.

The draft law also stipulates that governmental authorities would not be allowed to supervise elections. Employees would receive special training in running elections, and representatives from different political parties and civil society organizations would be trained in elections monitoring.

The interior minister would also be tasked with delegating the required number of police officers to secure polling stations, working under the supervision of the commission. The officers would be given orders by the commission head or deputies.

Elections should employee the party list system, the draft law holds. At least one woman should be included among the first four candidates listed per party, and a minimum of two women must be included in the first eight candidates listed.

Article 231 of the recently adopted Constitution mandates that in the upcoming parliamentary elections, two thirds of all seats will be voted in via the list-based system, and one third via the individual candidate system. Parties and independents are both allowed to run in elections.

The draft law also stipulates a minimum age of 21 years to run for municipal councils, 25 years for the House of Representatives and 35 years for the Shura Council. All candidates would also be required to meet defined educational requirements.

The draft law bans use of religious slogans during electoral campaigns. It also bans offering aid to build, restore or expand places of worship and social centers. If this rule is violated, two thirds of the electoral commission would be required to agree to drop the candidate from the ballot. The candidate would have the right to contest that decision.

President Mohamed Morsy is expected to ratify the draft law so that the Shura Council can vote on it.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

Tags: , , , , ,
Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
Comments (0)

Islamist parties consider running for Parliament on one list

by admin
December 27th, 2012

Islamist parties are considering putting forth one list of candidates to run in the next parliamentary elections to counter the National Salvation Front’s coalition of liberal and secular forces, Islamist partisan sources said Wednesday.

The Islamist parties are discussing a new electoral alliance in an effort to win a majority in the House of Representatives, the newly renamed lower house of Parliament, the sources told Al-Masry Al-Youm on condition of anonymity.  

They added that there will be coordination between the Salafi-oriented Nour and Asala parties, the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party and Jama’a al-Islamiya’s Construction and Development Party.

An alliance led by the FJP won over 46 percent of lower house seats in the 2011-2012 parliamentary elections.

Nour Party spokesperson Nader Bakkar told Al-Masry Al-Youm that Islamist parties have not agreed on the details of how they will cooperate during the upcoming elections, but talks are ongoing.  Bakkar said it was possible that the parties would run together on a joint list or would run separately but coordinate candidates and constituencies.  

FJP Shura Council MP Saad Omara said the party has called on all political forces, including the National Salvation Front, to consolidate lists in the parliamentary elections. The opposition has not yet responded, he said, but if the parties making up the National Salvation Front are running on a joint list, Islamists would do the same.

Omara said the Muslim Brotherhood welcomes organization among all political forces, not just Islamists.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

Tags: , , ,
Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
Comments (0)

Sobhi Saleh: Cabinet reshuffle is likely

by admin
December 26th, 2012

Shura Council member of the Freedom and Justice Party Sobhi Saleh said on Wednesday that a Cabinet reshuffle will be possible, but not changing it all together.

A reshuffle could happen, he said, when conditions are stable and following parliamentary elections.

Saleh explained that this matter is the right of the president as laid out in the recently passed Constitution.

The job of the Constitutional Court President, according to Saleh, is to send a letter to the concerned authorities to change the posts of  members that will be excluded from the court based on the new constitution which stated that the court  be formed by the oldest 10 members, apart from the President of the Court.

Edited Translation from MENA

Tags: , , , , ,
Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
Comments (0)

Minister calls for national reconciliation

by admin
December 26th, 2012

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mohamed Mahsoub called Wednesday on all political forces to achieve national reconciliation and broader consensus for the sake enabling the country to develop and overcome the ongoing economic problems.  

Mahsoub’s call came during his speech before the Shura Council during the first hearing in its new session, which was aired on the state-run satellite channel “Voice of the People.”

“The national reconciliation advocated by the government will have a positive impact which will be reflected by the economy,” Mahsoub said, noting that the ongoing political tension is the result of the economic conditions.

He stressed that parliamentary elections may not be postponed as the schedule laid out in the new Constitution must be respected, and thus a new parliamentary elections law must be approved.

“The legislative authority has a massive burden to issue a number of important laws,” Mahsoub added, calling on the council to quickly pass a law to recoup funds stolen by former regime figures and stored both domestically and abroad.

The minister accused “counterrevolutionary elements” of impeding the issuance of such laws.

Under the recently-approved Constitution, full legislative authority is transferred to the Shura Council from the president until a new lower house of Parliament, now known as the House of Representatives rather than the People’s Assembly, is elected.

Parliamentary elections are expected to be held within the next two months.

Tags: , , , ,
Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
Comments (0)

Govt human rights body calls for investigating referendum violations

by admin
December 25th, 2012

The National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) on Tuesday called on the authorities to investigate violations and irregularities during the referendum and devise mechanisms to respond to complaints forwarded by civil society organizations.

The councils’ researchers said during a press conference Tuesday that the council had issued 50,000 authorizations for organizations and observers to supervise the referendum.

It has relayed 1,073 complaints to the High Judicial Elections Commission, including delayed opening of polling stations, influencing voters inside and outside stations, early closing of stations, collective voting and impeding observers.

Mohamed al-Damaty, head of the elections support unit, denounced sharp criticism of the council. “We spotted more violations than other observers,” he said.

Damaty also denied licensing, selectively, members of the Freedom and Justice Party, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood group, while disallowing others from observing the voting.

His colleague, Brotherhood lawyer Abdel Moneim Abdel Maqsoud, said there were fewer violations than in the referendum of March 2011 and the previous parliamentary elections.

“The referendum was successful in general and there was no violence,” Aswat Masriya, news website affiliated with Reuters news agency, quoted Abdel Maqsoud as saying.

The Islamist-backed constitution was put for referendum on two stages on 15 and 22 December. Several rights groups reported violations during the voting process, especially campaigners for and against the document trying to influence voters.

The opposition says the constitution, drafted mostly by President Mohamed Morsy’s Islamist allies, fails to guarantee personal freedoms and the rights of women and minorities. It says charter will lead to more problems in the most populous Arab nation.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
 

Tags: , ,
Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
Comments (0)

Cancellation of constitution top priority, ElBaradei says

by admin
December 24th, 2012

Constitution Party head Mohamed ElBaradei said that if his party is successful in the coming parliamentary elections, the top priority would be the cancellation of the new constitution.

ElBaradei told BBC on Monday that he believes the new constitution constrains basic values such as freedom of belief and expression and independence of the judiciary.

The Constitution Party is a member of the National Salvation Front along with the Wafd, Conference, Egyptian Social Democratic and Popular Current parties, and the National Association for Change.

In a press conference on Sunday, the front said it would run for parliamentary elections on one list.

Earlier on Monday, Hamdeen Sabbahi, founder of the Popular Current, expected the front to secure a majority in the elections.

In an interview with the Turkish Anadolu news agency, Sabbahi rejected the new constitution, saying, “The referendum was manipulated. However, we’ll deal with it as a fact. We’ll struggle to cancel it.”

He added that comparing the results of the March 2011 referendum with the recent on indicates a decrease in Islamist popularity, specifically that of the Muslim Brotherhood.

In March 2011, the Constitutional Declaration was passed with a 78 percent vote after Islamist campaigns in support of the document. Preliminary results indicate that the draft constitution was approved by 64 percent. Sabbahi anticipated that this shift would help the NSF secure a majority in Parliament.

Tags: , ,
Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
Comments (0)
Next Page »