Between the announcement of the list-based candidacy results of the first phase of the parliamentary elections and the run-offs taking place today, Monday’s papers analyze the consequences of the rise of the Islamists while keeping an eye on the difficult birth of the new government headed by Kamal al-Ganzouri.
The Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) has come first so far with 34.9 percent of the vote, followed by the Salafi-led Nour Party with 23.2 percent, and the liberal Egyptian Bloc with 12.7 percent. The Revolution Continues Coalition garnered 3.2 percent, and the parties formed by former members of Hosni Mubarak’s National Democratic Party only scored 1 percent, easing public concern that they would make a comeback.
In the independent newspaper Al-Shorouk, Tourism Minister Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour says that the future of tourism — one of the main concerns regarding the Islamist win — cannot be determined until the end of the elections' three phases.
Expecting the Muslim Brotherhood to dominate parliament, Al-Shorouk quotes Brotherhood sources declaring their choices for parliamentary positions. They say that the Brotherhood will choose Essam al-Erian, the FJP's vice president, as the majority leader in parliament and Brotherhood leader Sobhy Saleh as council deputy.
The same sources say that Wahid Abdel Meguid, a member of the Egyptian Bloc, is nominated for the foreign affairs committee, to avoid problems that could be caused by the Brotherhood position regarding Israel.
Privately owned Al-Dostour focuses how the Islamists' win could negatively affect Egypt's international relations. On its front page, the paper quotes FJP spokesperson Mahmoud Ghozlan, who says that the party will refuse to sit with Israel and that there is a possibility of amending the Camp David Accords — signed with Israel in 1973 — to serve Egyptian Interests. Ghozlan also says that the party will refuse any American aid with political strings attached.
In another front-page story with the headline “Terror in Israel following the Islamist sweeping win in the first phase of parliamentary elections,” Al-Dostour quotes Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak as saying on Israeli TV that the results of the elections in Egypt will lead the country to reconsider its relations with Egypt.
Al-Shorouk, meanwhile, reports a second death during the elections. A driver for a candidate in Monufiya was killed during gunfire that broke out between the supporters of two candidates there, the paper says.
As one might expect from a party paper's election coverage, Al-Wafd newspaper's front page is dedicated entirely to the party's electoral race. The paper announces that the party won 13 seats in the first electoral phase and also reports on its accomplishments and services in Beni Suef, Sohag and Suez.
In a front-page column, Suleiman Gouda condemns FJP's electoral violations, mainly illegal campaigning at the polling stations.
Al-Dostour highlights the modest win of revolution youth, who won two seats and will compete in run-offs for a third.
Ziad al-Eleimy, a candidate representing revolutionary youth, won a seat in south Cairo as the first name on the Egyptian Bloc list. Bassem Kamel, another activist on the same list, won a seat in the north Cairo district. Mostafa al-Naggarm, co-founder of Adl Party, will compete in Monday's run-offs for the professional seat in Heliopolis, facing Islamist candidate Mohamed Yousry.
More than a week into the elections, the powers of the parliament — which remain unknown — are discussed in Al-Shorouk. The paper quotes experts who say that the parliament under formation will have the right to use a no-confidence vote against the government, which is also being formed.
The new prime minister’s struggle to form a government is also featured in Monday’s papers. Kamal al-Ganzouri, who headed a government under Mubarak in the late '90s, was appointed more than a week ago. But due to mass rejections from candidates, he hasn’t been able to form his government yet.
Al-Ahram newspaper announces that Ganzouri has filled all the ministerial positions except for that of interior minister, and plans to announce the new government on Wednesday. Amid discontent over his choice to maintain 13 ministers from the former government, Ganzouri announced, according to Al-Ahram, that Information Minister Osama Heikal — whose planned reinstatement had sparked the most crticism — will be replaced .
Al-Shorouk analyzes why it is so hard to fill the position of interior minister. The paper quotes sources from inside the Interior Ministry who say that six candidates have refused it. The position requires a person to work 24/7 and face the risk of being prosecuted for any violations committed by officers, while dealing with the diminishing powers of the minister in light of the military council’s interference, Al-Shorouk says. The sources say that the current conditions make it impossible to fill.
Al-Dostour, meanwhile, criticizes Ganzouri’s government in progress, calling it “a government of employees.” The paper quotes experts who say that the government doesn’t have a clear political and economic plan to salvage Egypt and is designed to follow the ruling military council’s instructions.
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-Gomhurriya: Daily, state-run
Rose al-Youssef: Daily, state-run
Al-Dostour: Daily, privately owned
Al-Shorouk: Daily, privately owned
Al-Wafd: Daily, published by the liberal Wafd Party
Youm7: Daily, privately owned
Al-Tahrir: Daily, privately owned
Freedom and Justice: Daily, published by the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party
Sawt al-Umma: Weekly, privately owned
Al-Arabi: Weekly, published by the Nasserist Party
