Egyptian presidential election - discussion

[hellheaven1987]

Since the "exciting" Egyptian presidential election is coming this May, I think it is interesting to open a general discussion thread for it instead posting endless new threads in Mudpit for this election, especially consider how many plots and backstabs behind this election - literately an Egyptian soap opera in real life.

For example, today the Egyptian parliament (overran by Islamists early this year) just passed a law that the officers of former government cannot participate the election - clearly a plot to ban the former Vice-President Omar Suleiman to participate the election. However the final approvement is lied on Military Council, which probably would reject the law since it means their own puppet cannot join the election. But rejecting the will of parliament also means the risk to anger the public, so the next move of Military Council would be very fun to watch.

The parliament in Egypt has passed a law banning senior officials who served under ex-President Hosni Mubarak from running in May's presidential election.

It means the former Vice-President Omar Suleiman would not be able to continue as a presidential candidate.

But the law would only come into effect if it is approved by the country's ruling military council, which took power last year.

The justice ministry has already said the new measure is unconstitutional.

The BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo says the ruling military council is likely to block the law.

He says the law was adopted as a direct response to the decision of Gen Suleiman, the country's former intelligence chief, to run for president.

The Islamist Muslim Brotherhood is the largest political force in parliament.

It is planning a large demonstration on Friday in protest at Gen Suleiman's candidacy.

The law also blocks anyone who was prime minister in the last 10 years.

This would bar the last Mubarak-era prime minister, Ahmed Shafiq, from standing.

But the measure would not apply to former ministers, meaning that leading liberal candidate and former foreign minister Amr Moussa would be allowed to continue his campaign.

Source

[Blaze86420]

Omar Suleiman. That's all I got to say. But honestly what are the chances of him being elected? It seems to me that the MB think he's an actual contender when practically all of Egypt views him as the face of the old regime.

[hellheaven1987]

Update: Egypt Islamists protest against Omar Suleiman poll bid

Tens of thousands are protesting in the Egyptian capital Cairo against the decision by Hosni Mubarak's former spy chief to stand in presidential elections.

The protest in Tahrir Square, in central Cairo, was called by the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups.

They want Egypt's military rulers to approve a law banning former top Mubarak-era officials from standing.

The organisers fear Omar Suleiman and others seek to restore the old regime.

The former intelligence chief denies the accusation, saying his main aim is to bring back order and rein in the Islamists' growing power.

Source

Strange enough Muslim Brotherhood wants to go all out against Omar Suleiman, consider the most popular candidate now is Amr Moussa, Secretary-General of the Arab League, with the hardcore Salafist candidate Abu Ismail follows closely.

[Grouchio]

I cannot believe this hasn't been posted beforehand: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17717268

Egyptian election officials have barred 10 candidates from standing in upcoming polls, including former spy chief Omar Suleiman and the Muslim Brotherhood's Khairat al-Shater.
Ultra-orthodox Salafi Hazem Salah Abu Ismail and long-standing opposition leader Ayman Nour were also banned.
The banned candidates have 48 hours to appeal. Thirteen candidates remain.
Correspondents say the move comes as a surprise and looks set to dramatically alter the race.
Many of those banned and their supporters have expressed anger over the move and large demonstrations are expected in the capital, Cairo.
A first round of elections is due in May, more than a year after former President Hosni Mubarak was ousted.
Appeals expected Mr Suleiman - a former ally of Mr Mubarak whose nomination has sparked protests - was apparently barred because he failed to get enough signatures to endorse his last minute candidacy, our correspondent says.
Meanwhile, the hopeful representing the hardline Islamists, Mr Abu Ismail, was ruled out because his mother has American citizenship.
Mr Shater, the leader of the powerful Muslim Brotherhood, was struck off the list because of a former criminal conviction. Ayman Nour, who challenged Mr Mubarak in 2005, was also banned under this rule.
The announcement comes after growing speculation over whether candidates would be disqualified. Rumours that Mr Abu Ismail would be barred has already led to protests, while questions over Mr Shater's eligibility caused the Muslim Brotherhood to enter a second, back-up candidate.
As a result, the Muslim Brotherhood are best covered, while the Salafists backing Mr Abu Ismail look to be the hardest hit, the BBC's Jon Leyne reports from Cairo.
Egypt is still governed by a military council, although parliamentary elections have taken place in the meantime. The Brotherhood-backed Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) became the largest party in parliament.
At least some of the candidates are expected to fiercely contest the election commission's ruling.
"We will not give up our right to enter the presidential race," said Murad Muhammed Ali, a spokesman for Mr Shater's campaign. "There is an attempt by the old Mubarak regime to hijack the last stage of this transitional period and reproduce the old system of governance."
The lawyer for Hamza Abu Ismail also denounced the decision.
Those said to remain include former Arab League chief Amr Moussa, moderate Islamist Abdul-Moneim Abulfotouh and former prime minister Ahmed Shafiq.

It looks like the pyramids have been flipped over again...
Thoughts?

[Dr Zoidberg]

Ain't democracy great.

[hellheaven1987]

The ban of Abu Ismail is interesting because just few days ago the court already announced the evidences were not enough to support that his mother had US citizenship, and hence he was eligible to participate the election. Either way, Abu Ismail enjoys popular support, which brings some worries how many Egyptians support the hardcore Islamic laws.

Edit: Apartly only Amr Moussa would remain, probably suggests he has striked a deal with Egyptian military...

[DimeBagHo]

Merged thread about barred candidates from the Mudpit.

[Thrillology]

Oh great! I hope Christians aren't being prosecuted further by the Egyptians! I feel very sorry for those Christians in Egypt and in any of the Middle East.

[Xanthippus of Sparta]

I loved the reverse birther drama that went on, with the opponets of the radical Islamist candidate causing a scandal by charging that his mother is American.

[Col. Tartleton]

I loved the reverse birther drama that went on, with the opponets of the radical Islamist candidate causing a scandal by charging that his mother is American.

Hey, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a Jew which is why he always threatens to blow them up. He's trying to get in with the cool kids. Weirder things have happened.

[Grouchio]

From the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17984117

Two days of violence outside the Egyptian defense ministry last week may have dramatically altered the political balance, barely two weeks before the presidential election. Commentators believe the clashes have weakened Islamist groups, bolstered the popularity of the army, and strengthened the hand of the candidates from the secular side of Egyptian politics, including those with links to the former regime of Hosni Mubarak. It was the attack on the defense ministry in Cairo on Friday that infuriated many Egyptians. The army holds a special, respected place in Egyptian society, and as far as many Egyptians were concerned it was attacked, not by a foreign enemy, but by Islamists.
That charge may not be fair - there were a number of groups in Friday's demonstration, and a only a small number were involved in the confrontation - but politically that is no longer the point. One soldier died in the attack. Egyptian TV also showed dramatic pictures of injured soldiers. And a day after the clashes, state TV broadcast footage that appeared to show two gunmen firing at the army from the minaret of a neighbouring mosque. On the official Facebook page of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf), people wrote "May God praise the army", and "God willing, you will win this battle. The Egyptian people support you."

The Islamists are losing their power in Egypt? Democracy is actually winning out there? YES! YES! YES!

The sit-in outside the defense ministry was originally organized by ultraconservative Islamists, known as Salafists, in support of their disqualified presidential candidate, Hazem Salah Abu Ismail. But the reaction has affected all Islamists, including the more moderate Muslim Brotherhood. The Brotherhood took no part in the action and quickly disbanded a separate protest they were organising in Tahrir Square when the trouble broke out at the defence ministry. "The public doesn't differentiate between Salafists, Wahhabis or Muslim Brotherhood any more," explained blogger and political activist Mamdouh Hamza. "They are all Islamists. They have lost support with the public, it is irreversible. Egyptians have seen their army and soldiers being attacked. It has stirred a lot of emotions."
Even as events were unfolding on Friday, state media blamed the Islamists of the Muslim Brotherhood for inciting violence, much as the media used to under Hosni Mubarak, even though there was no evidence to support the charge.
On the street there has been much discussion of the alleged presence outside the defense ministry of Mohammed Al-Zawahiri, a brother of Al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri, with many suggesting some sort of link with the militant network.

This swing of public opinion comes despite the fact that it was the demonstrators themselves who were originally attacked by unidentified assailants on Wednesday. At least 20 people were killed. The strong suspicion is that someone in power authorised or turned a blind eye to Wednesday's attack. At a news conference on Thursday, a member of the Scaf said just that it was under investigation by the public prosecutor. There have been no reports of arrests. By contrast, the military moved quickly to condemn Friday's violence. Scores of suspects have been arrested and are now being investigated by the military prosecutor.

And Al-Qaeda may be involved in supporting the evil Islamists? Oh graceful Mother Earth, bless this day!
D-D-D-Discuss!

[SLN445]

So maybe we are wrong about the whole events in Northern Africa leading to multiple Extreme Islamic nations?

[motiv-8]

The Islamists are losing their power in Egypt? Democracy is actually winning out there? YES! YES! YES!

And the OP doesn't understand how these sentences are mutually exclusive.

[Grouchio]

And the OP doesn't understand how these sentences are mutually exclusive.

It was just my first reaction upon reading this news myself. Don't be so quick to judge, Motiv. You'd make less friends that way.

[motiv-8]

It was just my first reaction upon reading this news myself. Don't be so quick to judge, Motiv. You'd make less friends that way.

Oh I just don't know how I could go on without the approval of Internet strangers.

But I'm not that interesting, let's talk about how quick you were to judge from a hastily put together news article. Reading other news, including Arab sources, I have to say I have no idea what this article is talking about. Support for Islamist candidates has not wavered, nor would it over a single event clouded with confusion and chaos, and almost all Egyptians understand that the Islamist field is highly stratified. Political decisions in Egypt right now even amongst Islamists aren't being based on ideology or religion but on political necessity and the interests of forging ahead with the political process. This is an.. incredibly.... wishful article that describes a Western reporter imagining events as a Western audience would like them to be, but only because they don't get the nature of politics in Egypt, what the Islamist parties really are, and what in the world is going on. Even many Egyptians don't fully understand what's going on here.

[Blaze86420]

The day a violent military crackdown on an anti-junta protest becomes democracy is the day I need to pack my things and become a hermit, society is becoming too weird.

[motiv-8]

The day a violent military crackdown on an anti-junta protest becomes democracy is the day I need to pack my things and become a hermit, society is becoming too weird.

Indeed, and the guy or gal who wrote this article must be smoking some good if they really believe all of Egypt is suddenly rallied behind the military against the government they just elected. Now that the "SCAF and the MB have an alliance to take over Egypt in a religious military dictatorship" theory has fallen apart, this must be the new thing.

[hellheaven1987]

The violence was caused by Egyptian military's purposely attempt to allow thugs attacking peaceful protestos.

[DimeBagHo]

Merged election violence thread.

[hellheaven1987]

Update: Egypt presidential election candidates in first TV debate

Egypt has held its first-ever live debate between presidential candidates.

It featured the two expected front-runners in the presidential vote later this month - former Arab League head Amr Moussa and moderate Islamist Abdul Moneim Aboul Fotouh.

Millions of Egyptians tuned into the lengthy debate, broadcast on two popular private TV networks.

The first round of voting is on 23-24 May. If no-one has an absolute majority a run-off will be held in June.

It is hoped that this will be Egypt's first free and fair election for the presidency.

Several opinion polls suggest that Mr Moussa and Mr Aboul Fotouh are leading the race.

Already, that has led them to attack each other on the campaign trail.

As the TV debate got under way, Amr Moussa attacked the record of his rival as a former leading member of the powerful Muslim Brotherhood.

Mr Aboul Fotouh, on the other hand, called the former foreign minister a remnant of the ousted regime.

Responding to the first question, Amr Moussa said he wanted Egypt to be a place where people felt safe.

"We aim to establish a respectable state in the region and in the whole world, a country which contributes to regional and international progress, a state which restores leadership and pioneering," he said.

Mr Aboul Fotouh said he wanted Egypt to be "the embodiment of the will and demands of the Egyptian people".

"The state I envision is a democratic and sovereign state which upholds the values and principles of Islam. It is a state where our youths have jobs, people have [a] decent living and are proud of being Egyptians. It is a state where Egyptians are not humiliated at police stations at home or abroad," he said.

As yet, many voters say they are undecided about whom to support. This debate could have helped them make up their minds, says the BBC's Yolande Knell in Cairo.

Source