ROUND ONE OF PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS: EGYPTIAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 008587

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KPAO KMDR OPRC JO EG
SUBJECT: ROUND ONE OF PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS: EGYPTIAN
MEDIA THEMES, NOVEMBER 7 TO 13



1. Summary: The Egyptian media gave extensive coverage to
the first round of parliamentary elections on November 9,
with Egyptian TV devoting live coverage throughout the day
of voting. Pro-government media coverage emphasized what
it termed the election's "transparency" and high voter
turn-out and reported on the loss of seats by key
opposition figures, such as Ayman Nour. Meanwhile, the
independent and opposition media focused on allegations of
vote buying and violence and reported on demonstrations
critical of election results. A prominent pro-government
commentator praised the first round as "great progress,"
but then stated that "the issue of bribes" was a problem.
Most opposition and independent commentators focused on
allegations of irregularities. "There will be no
difference between the previous and the coming
parliaments," wrote a commentator on November 11 in a
leading independent daily. In addition to the elections,
the Egyptian media covered the November 9 terrorist attacks
in Jordan. Two large circulation pro-government dailies
reported on November 12 that leading Islamic scholars in
Egypt condemned the attacks as "illegitimate" and "anti-
Islamic." End summary.


2. First round of parliamentary elections coverage, I:
Egyptian TV (ETV) gave live, around-the-clock coverage to
the first round of parliamentary elections on November 9.
Throughout the day, TV reporters were stationed outside of
polling places interviewing voters, many of whom spoke
positively about their voting experience, while other
voters complained of poor organization at some polling
places. ETV also hosted throughout the day newspaper
editors and political analysts to discuss the logistics of
the elections and their meaning to future democratic
reform. Leading pro-government daily Al-Ahram
(circulation: 750,000) asserted on November 10 in its
banner headline that the first round of elections were "the
most honest in 50 years." Al-Ahram's front page reported
that Ayman Nour, Head of Al-Ghad party and runner-up in
this year's presidential election, lost his seat, as did
the Deputy Head of Al-Wafd party; while leading ruling
National Democratic Party (NDP) figures, such as Kamal Al-
Shazly (still the longest serving parliamentarian in the
world),retained their seats. Pro-government daily Al
Akhbar (circulation: 800,000) reported on its front page on
November 10 that there was "unprecedented voter turn-out."
The front page of leading opposition daily Al-Wafd
(circulation: 75,000) alleged that there were "grave
violations in the elections, using old voters lists and
bribing voters with money and drugs." Independent daily
Al-Masry Al-Youm (circulation: 25,000) reported on its
November 10 front page that "the opposition reported NDP
violations and fraud, including preventing voters from
reaching stations and using nontransparent ballot boxes."


3. First round of parliamentary elections coverage, II:
Ardently pro-government daily Al-Gomhouriya (circulation:
500,000) printed a banner headline that highlighted the
"success of democracy" and the "opposition's defeat" on
November 11. Al-Gomhouriya also reported that "in light of
their poor performance in the first round of the elections,
all [opposition] political parties are not expected to
obtain the 5 percent (26 seats) needed to run in the 2011
presidential elections." Pan-Arab daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat
and Al-Wafd reported on November 12 that after Friday noon
prayers the day before in an middle class neighborhood of
Cairo, Muslim Brotherhood (MB) members "staged a large
demonstration and shouted slogans in protest of government
interference in the November 9 elections." The articles
also reported that security forces arrested around 40 MB
demonstrators. Al-Masry Al-Youm reported on November 11
that some of its reporters were assaulted by security
forces on election day. Egyptian website bloggers were
abuzz with news that an Al-Jazeera reporter was beaten by
two unknown men on November 9. Independent daily Nahdet
Masr (circulation: 25,000) reported on November 12 that the
opposition movement Kifaya ("Enough") would organize
demonstrations nationwide "to protest the NDP's rigging of
the election." Deputy A/S Elizabeth Cheney was quoted on
November 10 in Al-Ahram as saying that the elections were
"an important step towards real democracy." DAS Cheney also
appeared on ETV on November 12 to say that the
international community would "work to ensure that Egypt is
taking further steps towards expanding the democratic
process."


4. First round of parliamentary elections - commentary:
While all pro-government commentators praised the first
round of elections, many agreed that there were problems.
Former Editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram, Ibrahim Nafei wrote on
November 11, "There was great progress in the elections.
However, the issues of bribes and religious slogans still
have to be dealt with." A columnist writing in Al-Ahram
the following day praised the "democratic atmosphere in
which the elections were conducted," but then pointed out
that "bullying and bribery" had tarnished the elections.
Another columnist in Al-Ahram wrote pessimistically on
November 11 that the first round of elections showed that
"old regimes cannot cope with new systems and they only
seek to remain in power without really believing in
reform." The Editor-in-chief of Al-Wafd opined on November
11 that "the elections showed that the government and the
NDP do not believe in a pluralistic system and will not
give up its majority in the parliament by any means."
"There will be no difference between the previous and the
coming parliaments," wrote Al-Masry Al-Youm's leading
columnist on November 11. "The NDP will not move toward
reform by itself and needs to be pressed." The next day,
the same columnist criticized the "lack of transparency.
Bribery and bullying ruled supreme."


5. Jordan terrorist attacks: All major newspapers and
ETV reported on November 11 that President Mubarak had
pledged Egyptian support to Jordan in the aftermath of the
November 9 terrorist attacks in Amman, along with details
of the attacks. The same day, the unsigned editorial in
Al-Gomhouriya blamed "the situation in Iraq" for the Amman
terrorist attacks, stating that "justice is the first step
to defeating international terrorism." On November 12, Al-
Akhbar and Al-Gomhouriya reported that leading Islamic
scholars and mosques in Egypt condemned the terrorist
attacks as "illegitimate" and "anti-Islamic."

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