NDP OFFICIALS ON PARTY DYNAMICS, POLITICAL PARTIES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 000464 SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA, NEA/ELA AND DRL/NESCA NSC FOR PASCUAL E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2029 TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM EG SUBJECT: NDP OFFICIALS ON PARTY DYNAMICS, POLITICAL PARTIES AND HUMAN RIGHTS Classified By: Ambassador Margaret Scobey for reason 1.4 (b). KEY POINTS -- (C) The Ambassador hosted a March 11 lunch for key ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) officials. The officials described recent developments within the NDP, such as increased participation by women and youth, and local leaders being chosen through open elections, instead of by appointments. -- (C) The officials discussed the relative merits of Egypt's current single district electoral system versus a political party list system. They believed that the current system favors individual candidates, and that a list system would strengthen parties, women and Coptic Christians. One official noted that the 2007 constitutional amendments allow for a mixed system, such as Germany's, and that the NDP would resolve the issue "soon." -- (C) Comment: A party list system would block Muslim Brotherhood (MB) candidates from running as independents, as they have done in the past, due to the ban on the MB as a political party. -- (C) The officials discussed the U.S. 2008 Egypt HUMAN Rights Report, asking the Ambassador how the U.S. compiles the report, and opining that the GOE consistently rejects the report because the Egyptian public is critical of the document. -------------- New Internal Party Dynamics -------------- ¶2. (C) Secretary of the NDP Media Committee Dr. Aley Eddin Hilal Dessouqi noted a new level of competitiveness within the NDP, with individuals increasingly harboring their own political aspirations, as opposed to the previous consensus-based approach. The political landscape is changing, he said, but at a slow pace. He cited growing numbers of women and youth in the party as a significant new development. Dr. Alia Al Mahdi, a Cairo University Dean and the NDP's pollster, explained that elections at the local party level are influencing the NDP hierarchy, while in the past officials were appointed. She said that 60 percent of the candidates in the most recent local party elections were newcomers to the NDP. Candidates were freely elected at the local and governorate levels, she noted. -------------- The Role of Political Parties -------------- ¶3. (C) The officials discussed the relative merits of a single district "first past the post" electoral system versus a party list system, in reference to the 2010 parliamentary elections. NDP Business Sector Secretary Dr. Hossam Badrawi opined that a list system would allow for the increased political participation by opposition parties, women and Coptic Christians. NDP Secretary for Political Training and Education Dr. Mohammed Kamal described the current single district system as favoring individual candidates and emphasizing the relationship between candidate and constituent. ¶4. (C) Kamal opined that Egypt's proportional representation system in the 1980's strengthened political parties, women and Copts. He noted that the 2007 constitutional amendments allow for the possibility of a mixed single district and party list system, similar to Germany's process. He explained that the NDP is currently debating this question, and would resolve it soon. (Comment: Introducing even a partial party list system is attractive to the NDP because it would exclude Muslim Brotherhood (MB) candidates. Because the MB is banned as a party, MB candidates have run as independents in the past; they would not be able to do so under a party list system. End comment.) ¶5. (C) Dr. Dessouqi noted that the "ruling elite" wants to open the political system to more parties. Increased democracy and active political party life is in Egypt's national interest, he contended; "This is what we need, and we should do whatever will lead to this goal." He asserted that the platforms of all Egyptian political parties are "75 percent similar," advocating peace, prosperity and good relations with other Arab states. Because of this, Dessouqi claimed, elections are essentially "apolitical," and instead CAIRO 00000464 002 OF 002 based on constituent services. Dr. Badrawi called for a comprehensive NDP plan for decentralization that would empower local councils. Dr. Dessouqi suggested that a parliamentary commission could study the issue. -------------- Human RIGHTS -------------- ¶6. (C) Dr. Dessouqi noted the March 10 "Washington Post" Op-Ed critical of the Secretary's public comments about the 2008 HUMAN RIGHTS Report on Egypt. Dr. Kamal asserted that the Democratic Party has traditionally been more active on human RIGHTS than the Republicans. He asked the Ambassador how the Department compiles HUMAN RIGHTS reports, commenting that the report is a perennially popular topic in the Egyptian media. The Ambassador explained the process and noted that the USG works to verify press reports through independent, credible sources. Dr. Dessouqi welcomed such verification, and criticized the Egyptian press for frequently publishing inaccurate stories. The Ambassador emphasized that the reports note both negative and positive government actions on HUMAN rights, and underscored that the Secretary invited countries to comment on U.S. HUMAN RIGHTS practices. ¶7. (C) Secretary of the NDP Foreign Relations Committee Dr. Mohammed Abdellah opined that the Secretary "minimized" the human RIGHTS report during her March 2 interview with "Al-Arabiya." He asserted that because the Egyptian public is critical of the report, the GOE believes it also must reject the document. Dr. Badrawi said that he and prominent NDP lawyer Mona Zulficar will be drafting Egypt's submission for the 2009 UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Universal Periodic Review, which will measure the GOE's HUMAN RIGHTS performance against the relevant treaties and conventions it has signed. He asserted that the NDP has been active on HUMAN RIGHTS reforms, especially over the past six years. Dr. Dessouqi noted that GOE actions in HUMAN RIGHTS stem from Egyptian interests. He called for "private, candid" bilateral discussions on HUMAN rights. SCOBEY