The Independent Student Alliance clinched several key seats on Tuesday in Cairo University’s student union elections, beating out a coalition made up of candidates from the Muslim Brotherhood Student Alliance and the Strong Egypt Party.
Alliance member Hesham Ashraf won by three votes to secure his ascent to student union chief, while fellow alliance candidate Mostafa Saad grabbed the vice chief post.
Meanwhile, independent parties also did well during recent polls at Helwan University.
Independent candidates now control each of the university’s 14 main student committees. Voting for the student union head will take place next Tuesday.
At Aswan University, the Strong Egypt Party alliance won in each category, including union president, while Brotherhood members failed to win a single seat.
Similarly, Brotherhood party contenders lost the two top spots in the polls to the Life Makers party, with Strong Egypt Party nominees securing the secretary general and assistant secretary posts at Monufeya University.
Brotherhood students were also defeated in elections at universities in Alexandria, Assiut and Cairo earlier in the month.
However, the Brotherhood did better in Mansoura University polls, where the group won the union chief and assistant secretary positions.
The Brotherhood’s lackluster support is likely due to a controversial new law governing student activities that has prompted students without political experience or affiliations to join the public sphere.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
