News and events making front-page headlines in Egypt's daily papers on Tuesday include the contestation of the proposed parliamentary elections law, the postponement of nationwide trade union elections for six months, the ongoing Public Transport Authority strike, and details of a planned million-man protest in Tahrir Square this Friday.
The proposed law for parliamentary elections, utilizing a dual system of electoral rosters – one for parties and another for independent candidates – has caused debates and dissatisfaction amongst Egypt's political parties, currents and candidates.
In the independent Al-Tahrir newspaper, front-page headlines read "Amendments to parliamentary electoral law, political forces reject and object" along with "Supreme Council of the Armed Forces surveys amendments prior to issuing the law."
The liberal opposition newspaper Al-Wafd runs a top headline reading "Al-Wafd Party rejects proposed electoral law, insists that the law will bring Mubarak's regime back to power."
In the independent Youm7, the chief headline on its front page reads "Parties threaten to boycott elections." Subheadlines read "Muslim Brotherhood and Wafd Party, along with 41 other parties, to meet tomorrow in order to discuss means to escalate their opposition to the proposed parliamentary elections law… Million-man protest of 30 September demands Field Marshal (Hussein Tantawi) to hand over power."
Another front-page headline in Youm7 reads "University professors demand to know budget for armed forces." The article's subheadline explains, "Finance Ministry replies: Budget for Defense Ministry cannot be disclosed due to security concerns."
In the state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper, "Urgent meeting of political forces tomorrow to discuss Emergency Law and (parliamentary) electoral law" and "The Egyptian Bloc threatens to boycott elections… Wasat Party calls for million-man protest." Al-Ahram explains that (former) opposition groups are arguing that the recent amendments to the electoral law benefit large parties and former members of the dissolved National Democratic Party – at the expense of smaller political parties and independent candidates.
Al-Ahram also covers the ongoing bus strike. The chief headline reads "Million (Egyptian) pounds worth of losses each day, and expectations for payment of bonuses/incentive payments within two days;" along with "Ongoing Public Transport Authority workers' strike enters its ninth day" and "Borai: No negotiations with strikers until strike is called off," referring to Manpower Minister Ahmed Hassan al-Borai.
In Al-Wafd's coverage of labor strikes and protests, the headlines read: "Victims of revolution embark upon open-ended sit-in" and "Public Transport Authority's bus drivers begin hunger strike… Protesters in Alexandria demand that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces hand over power to the people."
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
Sawt al-Umma: Weekly, privately owned
Al-Arabi: Weekly, published by the Arab Nasserist party
