Next week, Al-Ahram Weekly reporters will be heading to different parts of the country to provide on-site coverage of the first stage of the parliamentary elections. In this issue, the Weekly winds up its survey of the the poll's main political contenders by looking at the smaller Islamist groups, the Nasserists and finally a sample of the smaller fry on the country's political arena
The call of the poll
Not so long ago Egypt's Islamist movement was classified in accordance with the position of its various adherents on armed violence: the 'Jihadists' call to arms versus the 'moderates' pursuit of non-violent means to achieve the objective of an Islamic state. Not any more. Most Islamist tendencies in the country now appear eager
to enter mainstream politics, but, as Omayma Abdel-Latif finds out, the upcoming parliamentary elections may not be the ticket -- yet
Avoiding confrontation
Abul-Ela Madi broke ranks with the out-awed Muslim Brotherhood at the end of 1995 to establish his own political party under the name, Al-Wassat (The Centre).--read on--
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Nasserism's potential -- untapped
The Nasserist Party claims a membership of 60,000 and a potential following of millions. It had one member in the outgoing assembly, however, and is fielding a mere 40 candidates in the forthcoming elections. Mona El-Nahhas looks into the gap between the party's reality and self-image
'All we can offer is moral backing'
Diaeddin Dawoud, leader of the Arab Dem-cratic Nasserist Party, began a legal practice after graduating from Cairo University's Fa-ulty of Law in 1949.--read on--
Seventies' credentials
Hamdin Sabahi, a former member of the Nasserist Party's political bureau, will run for election in his native constituency of El-Borollos in the Nile Delta governorate of Kafr El-Sheikh.--read on--
Sole representative
Sameh Ashour, a prominent Nasserist lawyer, will contest the elections, representing the constituency of Saqolta in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Sohag.--read on--
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The rest
Out of the 15 legal political parties in Egypt today, only five have any prominence. Nadia Abou El-Magd meets three of the less known, if more eccentric players on the country's political arena |
Campaigning dot com
Traditionally, cloth banners have lined the streets during elections. Amina Elbendary peruses a new campaign venue: cyberspace |
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