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Al-Ahram Weekly 20 - 26 July 2000 Issue No. 491 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 20 - 26 July 2000 Issue No. 491
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Election victory
The amendment to the election law approved by the People's Assembly and the Shura Council this week and guaranteeing total judicial supervision of the entire electoral process is a pivotal development indeed. Opposition MPs and those of the ruling party alike praised the government for responding swiftly to the Supreme Constitutional Court ruling two weeks ago, which declared that the 1956 election law still in force was unconstitutional since it failed to meet the stipulated condition of full judicial supervision.With over 42,000 polling stations and slightly over 6,000 judges, the government argued that it would be impossible to provide a judge for each polling station. But the Supreme Constitutional Court supported opposition and independent figures who have long argued that elections must not necessarily take place in one day, as has been the case in all previous elections. The government immediately responded to the court ruling on the new amendment by stating that two rounds of elections will now be held over a period of three weeks, and that the number of polling stations will be reduced to 18,000 to allow for rigourous supervision.
The government has thus sent a positive message to opposition parties, signalling that it is keen to make sure that the November parliamentary elections will be free and fair. Although extending the voting will cost more, and tax the security forces whose responsibility it is to ensure a smooth electoral process, the amendment will close a sad chapter in Egypt's political history, one in which every election has been marred by scores of rigging allegations. It is not difficult to ascertain which consideration is more important.
Those concerned with the development of Egypt's democratic experience, however, hope that the government will take yet more positive steps to ensure totally free elections. That will entail a thoroughgoing revision of the voting lists to tighten any attempts at rigging. Asking voters to sign after casting their ballot is another measure that will help prevent rigging. Nor should voter mobilisation be restricted to only one month a year; in fact, any citizen who reaches the age of 18 should be registered automatically as a voter, rather than having to go to the police station to register in person.
