The ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) submitted its candidate list for 28 November parliamentary elections just before the expiry of the application deadline, so as to keep its contents secret until the last possible moment.
A number of NDP members whose names were not on the list announced that they would contest the elections on independent tickets. Others said they would vote for candidates fielded by the ruling party’s chief rival, the Muslim Brotherhood opposition movement.
According to NDP sources, the party plans to field multiple candidates in those constituencies expected to witness fierce competition.
A number of would-be nominees excluded from the opposition Wafd Party’s candidate list, meanwhile, said they, too, planned to run as independents.
Gamila Ismail, ex-wife of opposition Ghad Party leader Ayman Nour, is also running as an independent.
“The setting aside of a limited number of seats in parliament for women contravenes the constitution,” she complained, saying that women should have the right to compete for all seats in the assembly.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
