Parliamentary elections will be held in 2010, followed by the presidential election in 2011. But there is a general feeling that parliamentary elections are stealing the spotlight.
But allow me to ask, is it true that the Parliamentary elections are that important? Will they be any different from those of 2005? Are all the state institutions being mobilized to ensure that they are not any different? Can interest in the presidential election possibly be held off until after the elections for the People’s Assembly are concluded?
If the answer to all those questions is yes, then Egyptians are not being taken seriously.
The new People’s Assembly will not be any different from the current one, in either formation or its role. Even a half-wit can tell how the new parliament will be formed and guess who is staying and who is leaving.
If the current assembly couldn’t remove even one minister by a motion of no confidence, then the next assembly can’t be expected to take a step as such. It will continue to serve its customary role as a rubber-stamp.
But there is no plausible reason for such a deficiency. We have a building with a distinctive dome on top called the People’s Assembly. It has members, a speaker, two deputies, and committee heads– yet no real function.
If we know that the elections won’t be supervised by the judiciary, and will be carried out the usual way, then we can immediately see what the parliament will look like.
The Egyptian will president remain the all-powerful figure, he will hold the reins to everything. No decision will be made without his instructions. Our lives will be in his hands, according to the constitution.
With these facts in mind, the importance of the upcoming presidential election becomes evident. It’s not too early to begin discussing it.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
