Egyptian Elections
Defeated candidates in Egypt's first contested presidential election have denounced the result of the poll and called for a re-run. Egypt's electoral commission has rejected the candidates' complaints.Egypt's electoral commission said it would not allow independent groups to monitor election, defying a court ruling. However, some of the groups who did monitor the vote said there were widespread abuses, mainly by Mr Mubarak's National Democratic Party (NDP) and electoral officials.
President Hosni Mubarak, in power for 24 years, won with 88.6% of the votes - in an election marked by low turnout. It would appear the main problem for reformers is not the reports of fraud but rather that the vast majority of people chose to stay at home - turnout was just 23%.
However, despite the many problems in Egypt, at least the country is moving on the right track to democracy. This election has given unprecedented freedom to the press with many previous taboos’ having been broken. Both opposition and independent newspapers now dare to discuss openly sensitive issues such as corruption, torture and whether the president's son, Gamal, is being groomed for the succession.
Many people feel this election signals a ‘political re-birth’ with civil society in Egypt taking its first steps towards empowerment.
Ultimately the real test will be its ability to galvanise the large numbers of Egyptians who have been put off politics by the autocratic practices of the last 50 years.
posted by Alexander Try @ 2:25 pm
3 Comments:
Gee imagine that. A country moving towards democracy without the help of the Evil Emperor Chimp. I don't think he'll be able to deal with that.
I think bush and co will have had more of a hand in Egypt than you think. Condi made a recent trip there, in which she met with opposition candidates and made several speeches encouraging the government to adhere to “basic human rights”.
Egypt is the second largest receiver of American military aid (after Israel); over $2billion a year. Without pressure from Washington we would not be seeing this freeing up of society. The US wants to see further progress towards democracy in the region and was getting criticism for financing a regime like Egypt’s while Iraq is like it is.
It’s important to criticise bush when he cocks up – Katrina and Iraq – but on this occasion I think he’s helped fuel some, albeit limited, progress.
thanks for visiting eddie! id love to get some discussions going on these comment sections, so if u disagree with me at all please feel free to say so!
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