• December 14, 2005
  • 10 minutes read

A brief look at the new parliament’s first day… Thoughtful assembly?

A brief look at the new parliament’s first day… Thoughtful assembly?

A brief look at the new parliament’s first day… Thoughtful assembly?
Mubarak wants elections’ "negative aspects answered strongly so that they will not be repeated." The rest of the speech hailed the elections as a landmark event…The President appoints women and Copts to the assembly…

The Islamists, meanwhile, are taking it step by step, AFP says… Earlier, Time took an inside look at the Muslim Brotherhood’s nerve centerNewly elected Islamist members of parliament are open to dialogue with members of the US Congress without involving the Cairo government. Meanwhile, the group’s leader Mohammed Mehdi Akef said the brotherhood does not recognise Israel… His plan: "We will not combat Israel using its own means, we will do it our way. If 70 million Egyptians reach a high level of education and wealth, Israel will be powerless and will not be able to do anything."

Final parliamentary tally: 26 percent overall turnout…. Ruling NDP gets 72 percent — or 311– of the 432 seats… 112 seats went to independent candidates, including 88 seats to the banned but usually tolerated Muslim Brotherhood… Secular opposition parties got nine seats: six for the Wafd party; two for the Tagammu; and one for the Ghad…

Polarized politics: Analysts are providing varied takes on the elections and what they mean… First of all, there’s dreamy rhetoric by the ruling NDP about how Egyptians are living in the midst of a marvelous awakening… AP speculates about what the Muslim Brotherhood might do with their newfound power… The Guardian argues that strong brotherhood results will reverberate across the region… A Daily Star commentary outlines why people should come to terms with the brotherhood’s gains… Other analysts say politics have been polarized…. The Washington Post looks at how the shift from secular to religious opposition occured… The brotherhood itself, meanwhile, says it’s ready to talk to Washington… The US says it’s ready as well. The US State Department keeps up its wishy washy talk about how violent the elections were… The Post is far more forceful, calling the last days of the election shameful… Saad Ibrahim also pens some tough words in the LA Times… Some AP analysis of the violence and what it means about Mubarak’s commitment to democracy… NY Times wonders who used live ammunition… Finally, Islam Online looks at how the press covered the results…

Plus, more… AFP helps the anti-Mubarak Kefaya movement assess their perfromance in 2005.. Reuters covers their latest demo. In the Guardian, novelist Ahdaf Soueif recounts a long hot summer of protests and changing politics in Cairo…

The verdict in Ghad party leader Ayman Nour’s trial will be announced on Dec. 24.