Muslim Brotherhood (MB) candidates responded to the first day of candidacy application submissions with a series of “rumors,” aimed at casting doubt on the electoral process and inciting “chaos” by sending text messages to voters and news agencies alerting them that security departments shut their doors early for MB candidates while allowing National Democratic Party (NDP) members to submit applications, reports state-run Rose Al-Youssef.
The report adds that the High Elections Commission denied the Brotherhood claims, arguing that the statements demonstrate “ignorance about the law.” The report’s accusatory tone captures the tension between the Brotherhood and the regime ahead of the impending poll.
Chiming in, Brotherhood media spokesperson and member of the guidance bureau, Issam El-Eryan, said the group's candidates face “stubbornness” and other difficulties in presenting their candidacy applications, reports privately-owned Al-Wafd. Such difficulties include preventing candidates from entering designated areas for submitting candidacy applications and the use of “imaginary” candidates to extend the wait time, effectively leaving Brotherhood candidates insufficient time to apply.
Privately-owned Al-Shorouk reports Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Al-Ansari was attacked in Sohag, according to a police report filed by the group's attorney Mohammed Al-Giddawi. Hazem Farouk, MB candidate in the Sahel district of Cairo, argued that security officials deliberately stalled the process, forcing him and other candidates to wander in the halls of the security department for hours. In the end the MB candidates were still unable to submit their application, said Farouk. He points out that security received the candidates’ identification card but had not completed the procedures as of the time Al-Shorouk went to publish.
Security forces have arrested three of MB Alexandrian candidate Hussein Ibrahim’s supporters, according to Al-Shorouk. The paper reports that the MB executive bureau in Alexandria plans to confront tightening security measures against its candidates by protesting, holding press conferences, and pursuing legal measures. In addition, the MB has prepared two lists of candidates to prepare for the possibility that some candidates on its original list might fail to secure candidacy.
In another manifestation of the heated atmosphere fueled by the MB decision to participate in parliamentary elections, state-run Al-Gomhorriya dedicates two full pages to a report regarding the myth that the Brotherhood has monopolized certain districts. The report reveals that the MB’s popularity in the Raml district of Alexandria has nothing to do with the NDP’s weakness. Instead, the lack of NDP internal discipline caused a splintering of the NDP vote in 2005. Meanwhile, MB candidates did not offer any tangible services to the district’s residents. The report adds that the only reason for the MB’s success in the district of Mina Al-Basal in Alexandria, is that they sell discounted goods to the districts’ residents every summer.
Al-Gomhorriya also reports that Adli Hassan, the Qalyoubia Governorate, says MB representatives lie to people by claiming credit for government-run projects.
“The outlawed’s plan to invade homes,” reads another headline in state-run Rose Al-Youssef. The report suggests the Brotherhood is secretly devising a plan to win votes, and designing an electoral campaign that aims to play on the emotions of ordinary voters. According to the report, one of the MB cadres in Sharqiya Governorate said MB candidates are relying on the support of young MB members to launch a door-to-door campaign in various districts to distribute campaign materials and CDs containing candidates’ electoral programs. Other campaign tactics include the use of websites, blogs and Facebook pages.
Brotherhood representative Mohsen Radi and candidate for the professionals’ seat in Banha described the 2010 people’s assembly as “unconstitutional.” It will not last more than two years and the government is deliberately attempting to make it the worst people’s assembly in Egypt’s parliamentary history, he said.
Egypt's papers:
Al-Ahram: Daily, state-run, largest distribution in Egypt
Al-Akhbar: Daily, state-run, second to Al-Ahram in institutional size
Al-Gomhorriya: Daily, state-run
Rose el-Youssef: Daily, state-run, close to the National Democratic Party's Policies Secretariat
Al-Dostour: Daily, privately owned
Al-Shorouk: Daily, privately owned
Al-Wafd: Daily, published by the liberal Wafd Party
Al-Arabi: Weekly, published by the Arab Nasserist party
Youm7: Weekly, privately owned
Sawt el-Umma: Weekly, privately owned
