Archive for political forces

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

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EU’s Ashton calls for dialogue in Egypt

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December 26th, 2012

Catherine Ashton, the European Union foreign policy chief, has called on all political forces to engage in dialogue after the passage of the controversial constitution.

The constitution, drafted by an Islamist-majority Constituent Assembly, passed with 63.8 percent approval from voters in a referendum with only around 30 percent turnout.  

Ashton said in a statement on Tuesday: “I have followed very closely the holding of the referendum on the draft constitution on 15 and 22 December in Egypt. I welcome the peaceful and orderly environment that prevailed during the vote.”

She added that all parties should enter into discussions to enable “further progress toward deep and sustainable democracy.”

“I urge those concerned, in particular the president, to intensify efforts in this regard,” said Ashton.

Members of the main opposition coalition, the National Salvation Front, took heart from the low participation rate in the poll, and pledged to continue pressuring Morsy through peaceful protests and other democratic methods.  

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Sabbahi invited us for dialogue, says Jama’a al-Islamiya

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December 24th, 2012

A leading figure in Jama'a al-Islamiya’s Construction and Development Party said Monday that former presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabbahi invited the group for a dialogue.

At a press conference, Safwat Abdel Ghany, who was recently appointed to the Shura Council by President Mohamed Morsy, said the group agreed to the dialogue and informed the Popular Current Party founder of its acceptance.

The group and the party also launched during the press conference an initiative entitled “Dialogue for the Homeland,” which it said is intended to contribute to a better future for the country.

The group called on Morsy to invite all political forces to the dialogue to discuss the articles of the constitution that need to be amended.

“We aim to end the state of polarization between the Islamist forces and the liberal and leftist forces,” said Tarek al-Zomor, the group’s spokesperson. “And we want to put Egypt on the right track.”

In response to a question on reported violations during the constitutional referendum, Zomor said the High Judicial Elections Commission would consider any complaints. “Democracy may be new to us,” he said, “but this does not mean the referendum was rigged deliberately.”

He appealed to all political forces who contributed to the current state of polarization among Egyptians to apologize to the people.

Zomor thanked the Egyptian people for disregarding attempts to incite them to violence and for approving the new constitution. He also thanked the Armed Forces and the police for their role in securing the referendum.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
 

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FJP: Finance Ministry policies embarrass the govt.

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December 20th, 2012

The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) sharply attacked the Finance Ministry for pursuing policies that it says are harmful to the presidency.

The ministry insists on adopting policies that are against what political forces recommend, said Mohamed Gouda, the vice chairman of the FJP’s economic committee. He added that its uninformed decisions embarrass the government.

“It has passed the Islamic Crediting Bill, although the FJP and Nour Party objected to it,” he said.

The Cabinet passed the bill on Wednesday without presenting it to the legislative authorities.

“The FJP had a better Islamic crediting proposal that was devised by experts from the Islamic world,” Gouda said.  “We expect the draft constitution would be approved in the referendum … Then the legislative authority will move to the Shura Council, to which we will present our proposal.”

A senior Finance Ministry official said the bill was passed after a being discussed in a community dialogue. “We want the bill to be controlled by the government, not the private sector,” the source said. “What political parties suggest is not binding for us.”

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Presidential spokesperson: National dialogue on election law after referendum

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December 19th, 2012

The fourth session of the national dialogue called for by President Mohamed Morsy with political forces, legal experts and public figures, on Wednesday discussed the future course of the dialogue after the referendum on the new draft constitution, be it approved or rejected, presidential spokesperson Yasser Ali said.

Ali wrote on Facebook that if the draft constitution is approved, the attendees agreed to discuss the parliamentary elections law and other articles of the draft for which amendments have been proposed, in order to present them to the next Parliament.

In case the draft is rejected, Ali said, they would discuss a law on a new Constituent Assembly to draw up another constitution.

They also agreed to send their proposals to the National Dialogue Committee on 25 December for it to consider over two days, Ali added.

The state-run MENA news agency said the attendees agreed on a document including all disputed articles of the constitution for the coming Parliament to consider.

After the referendum, the presidency would immediately invite the political forces that did not participate in the national dialogue to attend the fifth round so as to widen the circle of discussion, MENA said.

The opposition has rejected the draft constitution and says that participants in the national dialogue are supporters of the ruling party.

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Brotherhood refused meeting with defense minister, sources say

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December 14th, 2012

This week’s meeting between Defense Minister Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and political forces was cancelled due to pressure from President Mohamed Morsy’s administration, informed sources told Al-Masry Al-Youm on Friday. The Morsy administration denies the claims.

"The administration and President Mohamed Morsy pressed the Armed Forces to cancel the dialogue which was planned for last Wednesday because the Muslim Brotherhood and its [Freedom and Justice] Party refused to attend the meeting, considering it an intervention on part of the Armed Forces in political life," the sources said.

The call for the meeting came amidst rising polarization between Morsy and his opponents over the draft constitution. Opposition forces say the Constituent Assembly that wrote the draft was hijacked by Islamists.

The military institution has sent mixed signals about its position in the current crisis. The Armed Forces have issued intermittent statements saying they are with the Egyptian people, which some have read as a sign of solidarity with the opposition. Since the transitional period when the country was ruled by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, there has been an increasing rift between Islamist parties and the military.

Other analysts say that the draft constitution preserves the privileged position of the military, thus neutralizing its position in the current crisis.

"The dialogue was not postponed, but was cancelled. This is a great insult to Egyptians who appreciate the role of the Armed Forces, their patriotism and their sincere hope to maintain the unity of the community by reuniting the political forces without bias," the London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper quoted sources as saying.

"The FJP was the first party to respond to the call of the defense minister for a 'humanitarian meeting' which links the people of the same family, and we did not mind attending. The defense minister should be asked for the reason behind postponement," said FJP leader Gamal Heshmat.

Heshmat claimed that the Muslim Brotherhood had nothing to do with the meeting’s cancellation.

"A number of political forces said that the Brotherhood postponed the dialogue, in an attempt to persuade the people that the Brothers are running the country and that the supreme guide interferes in the affairs of presidency, which is totally untrue. Those who claim something have to prove it," Heshmat added.

"Some parties want to insult and embarrass the administration through fabricated lies and rumors," he said.

Presidential spokesperson Yasser Ali denied that the administration exerted pressure to cancel the meeting.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Morsy bows out of national dialogue to ensure neutrality

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December 8th, 2012

President Mohamed Morsy has left the “national dialogue” meeting, delegating it to Vice President Mahmoud Mekky, in order to ensure its neutrality.

Sources from the president’s office told Al-Masry Al-Youm that Morsy will not take part in the meting in order“to ensure neutrality and freedom of discussion between representatives of political forces without [the] embarrassment of the president’s presence.”

A number of public figures and party leaders arrived at the presidential palace Saturday afternoon to participate in the president’s dialogue, which aims to find a way out of the current political crisis.

Divisions have deepened between political forces in Egypt after Morsy issued his constitutional declaration on 22 November giving himself broad powers beyond judicial review and his decision to schedule a 15 December referendum on a hastily-written constitution.

Dialogue attendees include Al-Azhar Grand Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, Ghad al-Thawra Party head Ayman Nour, Constituent Assembly head Hossam al-Ghariani, Wasat Party President Abul Ela Mady and Vice President Essam Sultan, prominent lawyer Montasser al-Zayyat, former presidential candidate Mohamed Selim al-Awa, Islamist writer Fahmy Howaidy and preacher Amr Khaled.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Islamist movements to rally outside Media Production City

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December 7th, 2012

Islamist political forces have called for a protest outside Media Production City in 6 October City Friday, citing the "inciting role" of some channels.

Sixteen parties and movements, including the Salafi Front, the Construction and Development Party and the Peace and Development Party, called for the demonstrations, while the Muslim Brotherhood and leading Salafi parties did not immediately say whether or not they would take part.

In a joint statement, Thursday, organizers said, "We call on the Egyptian masses to be present in huge crowds for a demonstration outside the Media Production City to stop the suspicious agitational role of these channels and to free the will of people," citing "the escalating events [that aims] to abort the blessed Egyptian revolution of 25 January."

Organizers directed protesters to start gathering after Friday prayers in front of Media Production City's Gate 4.

Former presidential hopeful Hazem Salah Abu Ismail also joined the call for protests, saying on his Facebook page tthat "the media has become biased against Islamists." In his statement, he also said that the protests would happen "far from the opposition crowds to maintain national balance [and] peacefulness."

 

The general coordinator of the Hazemoun Campaign, Gamal Saber, added, "We support the rally in front of the Media Production City because of the clear bias we see in media, which belong to the feloul and which take an immoral position against Islamists."
 
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
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PM: Constitutional declaration issued to save Egypt

by admin
November 28th, 2012

Prime Minister Hesham Qandil on Wednesday said Mohamed Morsy’s 22 November constitutional declaration was made to save Egypt and preserve state institutions, such as the Shura Council and the Constituent Assembly, in addition to the presidential elections.

He told Al Jazeera Mubasher Misr that the declaration does not marginalize the judiciary, adding that, “Calling President Morsy a dictator is inappropriate.”

“Voting on the constitution will end the crisis, and the president’s legislative powers will move to the Shura Council,” he said, pointing out that certain ministers are clarifying the constitutional declaration for the political forces.

“The president said he would not go back on the constitutional declaration,” Qandil said. “The elected president must be removed by elections, not demonstrations.”

“The police are for the first time protecting the peaceful demonstrators,” he added, “but it becomes difficult when thugs infiltrate.”

“The state institutions, the president, the prime minister and the ministers are constantly criticized,” he continued. “I do not mind, for I am concentrating on the development of the country.”

Morsy held a secret meeting on Wednesday with Qandil and the interior minister, which state-run Al-Ahram newspaper’s website said lasted for two hours and discussed the current crisis.

On the same day, the Cabinet issued a statement saying accusations of treason would only deepen the rift between citizens and calling on political forces to place the interest of the nation above personal desires.

The statement praised the peaceful demonstrations and called on all forces to resort to dialogue.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Strong Egypt Party demands rescindment of Constitutional Declaration

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November 26th, 2012

The Strong Egypt Party, led by former presidential candidate Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh, called on President Mohamed Morsy to rescind the constitutional declaration issued on Thursday.

The party agreed with the dismissal of the former prosecutor general and the retrials of former regime officials, it said in a statement issued Monday. New criteria for the position should be established, the party added, saying the prosecutor general should be nominated by the Supreme Judicial Council and ratified by the president.

The statement lashed out at the Interior Ministry, demanding the immediate cessation of brutality against protesters in violation of the law and human rights norms. The ministry should be restructured, the party added, and all officers who have been implicated in human rights violations should be dismissed.

The party urged a national dialogue to agree on the Constituent Assembly and the constitution draft, and trusted that political forces would halt their protests if Morsy rescinds his decree.

The party seeks to preserve the unity of the nation, the statement added, and hopes that all concerned parties would respond positively to this initiative.

The party had on Sunday denounced calls by certain political forces and public figures for the United States and the European Union to intervene in Egyptian internal affairs.

Liberal and secular forces have rejected the November Constitutional Declaration with demonstrations in Tahrir Square, and are calling for a mass demonstration against it on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Muslim Brotherhood plans to hold a rally in support of Morsy at the Renaissance Memorial in Giza on the same day.

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