Polarised perceptions
How well did the first round of elections go? That depends, writes Fatemah Farag,
The state-owned press is enthusiastic. In the words of Osama Saraya, editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram, "the events of the [parliamentary] elections in Egypt are developing and growing. Their effect is the reflection of the insistence to continue with real democratic reform. And the first round of parliamentary elections have shown an increase in the rate of political participation and gives a clear indication of the change and transformation this country is going through." Saraya goes on, "the initial result [of this process] is that Egypt is getting better politically and entering a phase of its reform programme that is deeper and more developed."
While some commentators have taken issue with the success of several controversial National Democratic Party (NDP) figures such as Deputy NDP Secretary-General Kamal El-Shazli and Minister of Housing Ibrahim Suleiman, Karam Gabr in Rose El-Youssef suggests these are results that do not reflect the corruption of the system but do reflect the success of achievements over slogans. "The first phase of the parliamentary elections have proven that the people who were targeted for attack by the press gained the trust of the masses from the first moment."
If the opposition was not happy with the overwhelming victory of the NDP, Galal Dweidar in Al-Akhbar on 13 November suggests, "the first round of elections have shown that there are great problems in mobilising the majority of citizens to participate in the political process especially when the matter concerns political forces. This phenomenon reflects the lack of faith people have in the goal of achieving a balance necessary to opening the road in front of the development of a strong national opposition. This reality has manifested itself in the success of the ruling NDP in winning most of the seats of the first round."
Considering the extent of documented intervention in the results of the elections, El-Sayed Ghadban in Al-Osbou says, "[I]t has been confirmed that the government's party in Egypt insists on its absolute control of parliament and is intent on the 'murder' of political life in Egypt after the beginnings of a political awakening gave us hope."
For his part, Abbas El-Tarabili in Al-Wafd on 12 November explains, "the danger of the results of the first phase [of elections] is that they indicate that the regime does not want for a multi-party system to go on and get stronger, that the government and its party want the opposition parties as décor to beautify the regime and does not want it as a partner in political work and governance."
And in Al-Arabi this week, Editor-in-Chief Abdullah El-Sinawi says, "there is no hope for real political reform within the context of the present regime." El-Sinawi came to this conclusion because "nothing in the parliamentary elections prepares Egypt for an exit from its chronic crises." He says the regime is incapable -- or does not want -- to "understand the extent of depression that can take over Egyptians and the political and cultural elite in particular as a result of aborting democratic transformation. This could result in scenarios of anarchy and violence, the price for which will be paid by the regime before any other political actor."
Commenting on the results of the first phase, the success of all the ministers and the loss of both Ayman Nour and Munir Fakhri Abdel-Nour, Magdi Mehanna in Al-Masri Al-Youm on 11 November says the impression is that "there is nothing new on the political scene and confirms that political reform in this country moves forward in accordance with the agenda of the regime and not a national agenda aimed at moving Egypt into the future." All of which, fears Mehanna, will make of the new parliament a vehicle "that does not drive Egypt into the future but drives Gamal Mubarak to the throne of Egypt."
No review of coverage of the elections would be complete without mention of Youssef El-Qaid's description in Al-Osbou of people he saw trying to sell off the "bribes" they had received from candidates buying their votes. "I saw a poor voter after casting his vote trying to sell a Viagra pill they told him cost LE50, and another trying to sell a carton of Fairouz (soda pop) and yet another trying to sell a carton of eggs," he recounts. El-Qaid concludes that the first round of elections "represented at times as a step forward and many other times a step backwards. Did the state forge the results at the last minute? We will know everything after a while."
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2005/769/pr1.htm