AFRICA/EGYPT - Elections in Egypt: Islamic candidates advance

Cairo (Fides Service)- “I think these elections are an attempt to send the world a positive signal, a demonstration that Egypt’s democracy is making progress” said a local source in Cairo, capital of Egypt where yesterday 27 November there was a second round of legislative elections.
The vote, like the first round, saw the advance of independent candidates connected with the Muslim Brothers group formally banned from taking part in the elections but which nevertheless organised an electoral campaign with the slogan “Islam is the solution”.
“The advance of candidates connected with this Islamic group is no surprise” say Fides sources. “In Egypt as in other north African and Middle East countries religion is an essential root of the local culture. The Muslim Brothers group is popular among young people in poor districts because Islamic candidates speak the same language and promise to solve the concrete problems of the people: housing, jobs, health etc…”
It would appear that the Muslim Brothers obtained a record 76 seats despite arrests, intimidation and violence. In the second round the Confraternity won 29 seats in addition to 47 won at two weeks ago in the first round. One third of the seats will be assigned in the last round on 1 December.
“These elections will mark a turning point for the country if the winners respect the rules of democracy” the sources said. “We should consider that Islamic radicalism is not in the least monolithic as it might appear at first sight. It contains a plurality of views. The trouble is these different positions tend anyway to marginalise non Muslims”.
The Muslim Brothers group which demands more political freedom and more respect for Islamic law have won 47 of the 444 seats in parliament compared to 120 won by the National Democratic Party led by President Hosni Mubarak. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 28/11/2005 righe 30 parole 339)