Partial results for single-winner races are being released today, with additional results expected after a run-off round on Monday, December 5. The Freedom and Justice Party issued a statement claiming that the FJP-led Democratic Alliance is leading the proportional representation races, followed by the Salafi Nour Party and the liberal-oriented Egyptian Bloc in third place. The FJP also asserted that the majority in the next People’s Assembly should have the authority to form a new government.  

1) Violence returned to Tahrir Square on November 29 after a fight broke out between angry street vendors and protesters armed with truncheons who tried to evict them from the square. Human rights activist Tarek Radwan documented the clashes for EgyptSource, noting that resentment against street vendors in the square has escalated in recent weeks. Protesters have blamed street vendors for trash in the square and some are believed to be informants recruited by the Interior Ministry to monitor activists. According to the Health Ministry, at least 108 people were injured in the clashes. A dwindling number of protesters in Tahrir Square are entering the 12^th day of their sit-in calling for an end to military rule and condemning the appointment of Prime Minister Kamal Ganzouri. [al-Ahram, English, 11/30/2011] [EgyptSource, English, 11/30/2011] [al-Masry al-Youm, English, 11/30/2011] 

2) Claiming that its candidates are leading in preliminary election results, the Freedom and Justice Party stated that a majority in the next People’s Assembly should have the authority to form a new government. According to Mohamed Morsi, head of the FJP, “A government that is not based on a parliamentary majority cannot conduct its work in practice … Therefore we see that it is natural that the parliamentary majority in the coming parliament will be the one that forms the government.” Last week, the SCAF tasked newly appointed Prime Minister Kamal Ganzouri with forming a new government, and a SCAF member also stated that the new parliament will not have the power to dismiss the cabinet or form a new one. [Reuters, English, 11/30/2011] 

3) Official statistics on voter turnout are not yet available, but authorities indicated that turnout will likely exceed 70 percent in the nine governorates that voted on Monday and Tuesday.  Cairo’s deputy governor estimated that turnout in the capital might exceed 80 percent of eligible voters. [al-Ahram, English, 11/30/2011] [VOA, English, 11/30/2011] 

4) Partial results for single-winner races are being released today, and the head of the High Electoral Commission will hold a press conference on December 1 to announce complete results as well as the candidates who will compete in the run-off round on Monday, December 5. The Freedom and Justice Party issued a statement claiming that the FJP-led Democratic Alliance is leading the proportional representation races (which will determine two thirds of the parliamentary seats), followed by the Salafi Nour Party and the liberal-oriented Egyptian Bloc in third place. Media reports indicate that the FJP has secured more than 40 percent of the vote so far, while Salafi candidates are expected to dominate races in Alexandria.

• Initial results indicate that Salafi Nour Party is leading in the first district of Kafr al-Sheikh, followed by the FJP, which is expected to win Kafr al-Sheikh’s second district.
• Amr Hamzawy, a liberal independent candidate, is leading in Cairo’s fourth district.
• In Luxor, where about 80 percent of ballots have been counted, FJP appears to lead the vote, closely followed by the Salafi Nour Party
• In Port Said, 70 percent of the votes have been counted and early results suggest that a run-off vote is likely between FJP candidate Akram al-Shaer and independent George Ishaq
• In Cairo’s eight district, FJP candidates Khaled Hanafy and Youssry Bayoumy are leading over human rights activist Hafez Abu Saeda.
• In Helwan, the FJP is leading for list-based candidacy seats while the Nour Party and the Egyptian Bloc and the Conservative Party are competing for second place.
• In Assiut‘s first district, where 70 percent of votes have been counted, the FJP leads, followed by the Salafi Nour Party and the liberal-oriented Egyptian Bloc. The FJP is also leading in Assiut’s second district. 

GANZOURI GOVERNMENT: 

5) Prime Minister Kamal Ganzouri met with SCAF members Mohamed Hussein Tantawi and Sami Anan as well as political party representatives to discuss the formation of an “advisory council” as an alternative to the “national salvation government” proposed by Mohamed ElBaradei most major political forces. Ganzouri’s proposed council would include representatives of different parties and movements, and would “assist” the cabinet in governing. [al-Ahram, English, 11/30/2011] [Al-Masry al-Youm, Arabic, 11/30/2011] 

U.S. POLICY:

6) State Department spokesperson Mark Toner defended the shipment of tear gas to the Egyptian government, saying that Washington has not seen “any real concrete proof that the Egyptian authorities were misusing tear gas,” although he added that “we certainly would condemn … any misuse of tear gas anywhere that could result in death or injury.” [State Department, English, 11/29/2011] 

7) Three people have died in sectarian clashes in the Upper Egyptian village of al-Gharziyat in Sohag governorate, after a Muslim was killed by his Christian neighbor in a fight over the construction of a wall. Family members of the victim retaliated by attacking Christian-owned stores and properties with stones and Molotov cocktails, leaving two Christians dead and dozens of bystanders injured. [al-Ahram, English, 11/30/2011] 

Photo Credit: Reuters

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