President Mubarak Calls Elections ‘Legal’ Despite Proof of Fraud

President Mubarak Calls Elections ‘Legal’ Despite Proof of Fraud

 President Mubarak boldly declared that Egypt ’s recent parliamentary election was legal even though he acknowledged that certain minor violations had occurred in some areas.

He cited the negative behavior that had been witnessed during the elections claiming that only some candidates and their supporters were guilty and that the mistakes of a few did not reflect the overall integrity of the polls. He further asserted that the elections were far removed from violence and major violations, essentially seeking to smooth over a very turbulent and unstable time in Egypt ’s history.

However, both international and local monitors and opposition groups not only affirmed that the 2010 elections were marred by fraud in favour of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP), which swept up over 90% of the seats in parliamentary, but have documented proof that the blatant violence, vote rigging
 ballot box stuffing,
police intimidation and arbitrary arrests did indeed take place under the watchful eye of President Mubarak and his
ruling NDP.

Aware of the facts but in the hot seat and unable to change his position without losing face, Mubarak offered some patronizing words of consolation: ‘I hoped the other parties would get better results, and I wish they had not wasted their efforts in the controversy over boycotting the elections,’ said Mubarak in a televised speech.


The elections were so obviously and notoriously rigged that it caused Dr. Mohamed El-Baradei to
appeal to voters and the opposition to boycott the polls, which in fact, he and the Muslim Brotherhood did in the run off.

Now, in response to the brutality, fraud and corruption that characterized the elections and the anticipated repeat of such tactics in the presidential elections in 2011,El-Baradei and the Muslim Brotherhood have joined forces seeking to stem the tide of corruption and continue to advocate for peaceful change.