Street and parliament

By Naguib Mahfouz

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Opposition movements have recently surfaced outside the formal set-up of political life. It seems that movements which appeal directly to the man in the street are proving more popular than well- established parties. This is good since it suggests political life is not as dead and buried as some say. Yet the emerging opposition groups cannot remain outside formal politics forever.

Politics is best conducted in the context of parties and parliament. The vitality offered by these new movements needs to be channelled into a mainstream form and in doing so political life will be resuscitated. The new movements should create their own parties or join existing ones.

In the coming elections the government must strive to get the opposition into parliament, not keep it outside. The government needs to encourage all shades of opinion into the People's Assembly: excluding anyone impoverishes political life. And unless represented in parliament the opposition may take to the streets which is not what we need right now.

Based on an interview by Mohamed Salmawy.