Some political parties – including al-Ghad al-Thawra and Tagammu’ – have agreed to support the supra-constitutional principles as long as Deputy Prime Minister Ali al-Selmi’s latest revisions are implemented, but most Islamist forces reject the amendments and are still calling for a mass demonstration on November 18. Although the Brotherhood has not yet announced its official stance on the protest, a Brotherhood source told al-Jazeera that the group views al-Selmi’s latest concessions as insufficient and has decided to participate in Friday’s rally.
PROTESTS:
The Ministry of Interior will heighten security measures in anticipation of a major demonstration in Tahrir Square on November 18, but an official ministry source said that the square will be free of police, and affirmed the right of protesters to “peaceful demonstration and freedom of expression.” Security personnel will focus on protecting “vital facilities” and maintaining the flow of traffic. [Al-Masry al-Youm, Arabic, 11/17/2011]
Some political parties – including al-Ghad al-Thawra and Tagammu’ – have agreed to support the supra-constitutional principles as long as Deputy Prime Minister Ali al-Selmi’s latest revisions are implemented, but most Islamist forces reject the amendments and are still calling for a mass demonstration on November 18. Although the Brotherhood has not yet announced its official stance on the protest, a Brotherhood source told al-Jazeera that the group views al-Selmi’s latest concessions as insufficient and has decided to participate in Friday’s rally. [Al-Ahram, English, 11/16/2011] [Al-Jazeera, Arabic, 11/17/2011]
Al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya announced its participation in the mass demonstration planned for November 18, saying that constitutional principles should not be issued without a popular referendum. Al-Gama’a boycotted the meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Ali al-Selmi earlier this week which resulted in proposed amendments to Articles 9 and 10 of the draft principles. [Al-Ahram, English, 11/17/2011]
CONSTITUTIONAL DEBATE:
Michele Dunne summarizes recent revisions to the draft supra-constitutional principles for EgyptSource. According to Wahid Abdel Meguid (a former Wafdist currently who now belongs to the Brotherhood-led Democratic Alliance, reported that Deputy Prime Minister Ali al-Selmi agreed to amendments on November 16 that would allow oversight of the military budget by a secret session of parliament or national security committee in parliament and election of the 100 members of the constituent assembly. [EgyptSource, English, 11/17/2011] [Al-Ahram, English, 11/16/2011]
PARTIES/CANDIDATES:
Presidential candidate Mohamed ElBaradei urged Prime Minister Essam Sharaf’s cabinet to resign during a televised interview and urged the military to transfer power to civilian leadership. “Egyptians didn’t revolt to suffer security failure and economic deterioration,” ElBaradei said. [Al-Masry al-Youm, English, 11/17/2011]
NDP REMNANTS:
Following a major court ruling by the Supreme Administrative Court earlier this week suspending a political ban on former NDP members, lower courts are continuing to hear cases challenging the eligibility of NDP-affiliated candidates. On November 16, an Assiut court rejected six complaints filed by parliamentary candidates to prevent 13 former NDP members from competing in elections, while another court in Fayoum decided to postpone a final verdict on a lawsuit filed by the Freedom and Justice Party seeking to disqualify 17 former NDP members. [Al-Masry al-Youm, English, 11/17/2011]
Rivalry between Islamist and former NDP candidates has intensified since the Supreme Administrative Court’s decision suspending the political ban on members of the former ruling party. Candidates of the Freedom and Justice Party and Salafi Nour Party reported that their campaign posters were torn down in Daqahlia. After posters of former NDP candidates were torn down during Eid al-Adha, Islamists replaced them with their own flyers. [Al-Masry al-Youm, English, 11/17/2011]
ELECTIONS:
Despite efforts to purge the voter registration rolls of the deceased, al-Shorouk newspaper reports that at least two people listed as eligible voters on the list released by the High Electoral Commission are dead. [Al-Shorouk, Arabic, 11/17/2011]
SECTARIANISM:
An attack on a Coptic march in Shubra Square commemorating the 40-day anniversary of the Maspero clashes has left four people injured. Protesters were marching from the square to Maspero to pray for the martyrs when identified assailants attacked them with stones and Molotov cocktails. Security forces used tear gas to fend off the attackers and restore order. Protesters later resumed their march toward Maspero. [Al-Ahram, English, 11/17/2011] [Al-Shorouk, Arabic, 11/17/2011] [Al-Shorouk, Arabic, 11/17/2011]
U.S. POLICY:
Jacob Walles, a deputy assistant secretary of state, met for the first time this week with the leaders of the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party at its new headquarters in Cairo. U.S. diplomats have had informal contacts for years with Brotherhood parliamentarians, but Walles’ meeting reinforced Secretary Clinton’s July statement affirming that the U.S. will cooperate with Islamist parties that respect democracy. [New York Times, English, 11/17/2011]
ECONOMY:
A new study by Egyptian economist Abdul Khaleq Farouk estimates that 43 percent of Egyptians are poor while 20 percent live in “extreme poverty.” Meanwhile, high-level government employees are receiving bonuses of up to 1,800 percent. [Al-Masry al-Youm, Arabic, 11/17/2011]
Photo Credit: Al-Masry al-Youm
Image: Coptic%20protesters.jpg