- November 16, 2006
- 2 minutes read
Egypt: 9000 Students Join Free Student Union Elections

In defiance of the repressive measures taken by security agencies and other government bodies meddling with the election process in the student union election, students in the Egyptian universities decided, days ago, to launch a student union of their own to be a substitute for the government–controlled one in which students won unopposed after the security agencies meddled with the election process and struck off hundreds of students from the election lists.
The idea of the Free Student Union was implemented in both Helwan and Azhar universities. On Monday, Nov. 13, 2006, Mansoura University followed their steps, as over 9000 students participated in voting for 700 student candidates, about 45% of them represent the Muslim Brotherhood group. The election process was monitored by university professors and civil society organizations including the Egyptian Society for Supporting Democratic Development. The students elected, on Monday, the secretary general and his deputy, while the second and last phase of the election was held on Wednesday 15, when the students elected the other candidates, with each faculty choosing its representatives before the Free Student Union.
The election was held amid threats from faculty deans to inform the security authorities of students participating in the Free Student Union election, as was the case in the Faculty of Law. It is noted that the results of the election, held in some faculties on Monday, was announced today. As regards the Faculty of Law, it will elect its representative on Thursday 16, while the secretary general of the Free Student Union and his deputy will be elected on Saturday 18th. An inauguration party will be given by the free student union before its members start their activities which will start as early as next week.