Although President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced in his speech at the United Nations last month that Egypt was on its way to completing the roadmap by holding parliamentary elections.
Even the Interior Minister recently said: “If elections were held now, the Muslim Brotherhood Movement would emerge as a winner” suggesting further that elections may still be a long way off.
Although President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced in his speech at the United Nations last month that Egypt was on its way to completing the roadmap by holding parliamentary elections.
Even the Interior Minister recently said: “If elections were held now, the Muslim Brotherhood Movement would emerge as a winner” suggesting further that elections may still be a long way off.
When the deposed President Mohamed Morsi issued a constitutional declaration in November 2012, granting himself overreaching powers, a considerable opposition was created and culminated in the June 30, 2013 revolution, which led to Morsi’s fall from power.
Now, with all the repressive measures adopted by the current authority in Egypt, and with the fear of the postponement of the parliamentary elections looming, a question poses itself about the stance to be taken by parties that were active in opposing Morsi, if the elections are to be postponed.
Alterior motives?
Mustafa Abdel Razek, one of the founders of the Egyptian Current Party, which was established after the start of the revolution and is mainly composed of young dissidents from the Muslim Brotherhood, believes that President al-Sisi is seeking to postpone the parliamentary elections in order to pass a number of laws that would allow him to repress his opponents.
Razek claims that there are many indicators for this, especially al-Sisi’s use of the legislative power, for example: the amendments he introduced to the law organizing universities and civil society organizations, his approval of the implementation of the demonstration law, and his tendency to approve the parliamentary election law, which had been opposed by all political forces.
Problems from all sides
Why didn’t political parties and civil and political forces oppose al-Sisi’s use of the legislative authority the way they opposed Morsi, his predecessor’s use of this power?
Masaad Ali, Secretary-General of the Socialist People’s Alliance Party in Ismailia answered: “The political forces in the country, especially the revolutionary ones, have become surrounded by problems from all sides. They do not have the luxury of withdrawing from the political scene after the terrible abuses by al-Sisi against them for fear of “political death” and for fear of leaving a vacuum which could be occupied by all the enemies of the revolution.”
He said that even if his party considered withdrawing to protest the behavior of the ruling regime, it would not be supported by other parties that were formed to serve the regime.
“Al-Sisi insists on ignoring the demands of the different political forces, which he didn’t care for by not issuing a law on the practice of political rights until now and by insisting on the scandals contained in the law regarding the absolute list system, which will not allow any party formed from the womb of the revolution, including my own party, to be represented in the parliament.”
Ali also blamed the Muslim Brotherhood Movement for the state of political retreat in the Egyptian street, which is currently not participating in the political activities, even if it opposes the behavior of the current regime because of the absence of any other alternatives. He also suspects that the Egyptian people have reached a conviction that military fascism is better than religious fascism. He also suspects that people won’t participate in the parliamentary elections because of a sense that they are not important to the political elite.
Dr. Layla Ghattas, former Secretary-General of the Egyptian Democratic Party in al-Ismailia spent more than 60,000 Egyptian pounds (US $8,300) of her own money to communicate with people in poor areas, and she opened the door for the leaders of her party in Cairo to communicate with ordinary citizens. However, none of her leaders in Cairo has paid her any attention and for this reason she had opted to withdraw from the party. Now, the party’s offices in al-Ismailia are empty.
Everyone in the Brotherhood basket
Contrary to those who say that the Egyptian street has withdrawn from opposing the ruling regime, Amro Muhsin, Secretary-General of al-Karamah (Dignity) Party in al-Ismailia said the readymade accusations of the opposition against the behaviors of the regime, and the fears of the political forces from being put in the same basket with the Muslim Brotherhood, were important factors that stopped civil forces from opposing the misuse of the legislative power as practiced by al-Sisi.
The demonstration law has also prevented tens of thousands of people, including partisan and political forces from even thinking of going to the street to oppose these policies for fear of prosecution and imprisonment.
Mohsen said his party is forced to participate in the elections for fear of leaving the scene to the remnants of the old regime as well as to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Mohsen said he will oppose the postponement of parliamentary elections if there is no compelling reason for the postponement. He also said the current security conditions, used by some of the supporters of the current regime to demand the postponement of elections is not a convincing reason, especially since the presidential election and the referendum on Constitution were held under more difficult security conditions than those witnessed by Egypt today.
Messages to the outside world
Adel Khalil, Secretary-General of al-Dostour Party in al-Ismailia believes that president Sisi has already made up his mind and decided to hold the elections before the end of this year. Khalil trusts this promise and believes that the roadmap should be completed in order to prove to the whole world that Egypt has entered a path of stability.
Khalil insists that all legislation issued by President al-Sisi was necessary for the facilitation of life in Egypt. He added that the law on the division of districts, which all the political forces are waiting for, will be announced when the districts are re-distributed but this may not give political parties enough time to promote their candidates. He stressed the need for responding to the demands of the political forces regarding the parliamentary election law.
Khalil supports the ideas of Muhammad Abu al-Fadl, a political analyst, who said that President al-Sisi is now forced to accelerate the implementation of the parliamentary elections—not because Presiden al-Sisi should fear political forces in Egypt, but rather to deliver a message to the outside world that Egypt is implementing its roadmap.
Abu al-Fadl said he is surprised to hear that there are fears regarding the return of the remnants of the old regime and the Muslim Brotherhood to the political scene if elections are held now, under any law. He stressed that the opposite is true. “If elections are postponed, this will mean that these forces will be given the opportunity to restore their popularity on the ground, especially because the different political forces and parties haven’t, until now, been able to gain the support of the ordinary people,” he said.
