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MENASource

Nov 16, 2011

EgyptSource blogger Magdy Samaan speaks on elections and censorship

By Mara Revkin

EgyptSource blogger Magdy Samaan spoke at an event co-hosted by the Hariri Center, the Wilson Center and Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) in Washington announcing the blog’s launch and previewing Egypt’s elections. Michele Dunne, director of the Hariri Center, participated in the discussion with panelists Magdy Samaan and Ibrahim Houdaiby (who joined the conversation […]

MENASource

Nov 15, 2011

News Update: November 15, 2011

By Mara Revkin

The Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) and other major political forces signed a statement threatening to stage mass protests on November 18 if the SCAF refuses to withdraw its controversial draft constitutional principles by November 16.  Meanwhile, a major court ruling affirmed the right of former NDP members to compete in upcoming elections.  Semi-official […]

MENASource

Nov 15, 2011

Charting Egypt’s New Political Terrain

By Mara Revkin

Jacopo Carbonari has shared via The Arabist a schematic diagram that sheds some much-needed light on the relative ideological orientation of Egypt’s political parties. In addition to positioning the parties along two axes — religious/secular and left/right — the map shows the distribution of parties among the four major coalitions: 1) the FJP-dominated Democratic Alliance; […]

MENASource

Nov 14, 2011

Monitoring Egypt’s Chaotic Electoral System

By Ahmed Morsy

Egypt is preparing for its first real multi-party parliamentary elections without the grip of Hosni Mubarak and his abolished National Democratic Party (NDP), ousted over nine months ago. The electoral law finally announced on October 8 has made the Egyptian electoral system one of a kind: with 2/3 of parliament to be elected via proportional […]

MENASource

Nov 14, 2011

MB or FJP? The Brotherhood’s Branding Problem

By Hafsa Halawa

 Much has been said and written since January about the influence, power and fear of the Muslim Brotherhood and its role in Egyptian politics post-Mubarak. A well organized, structured and financed organization that has grown considerably in strength since its establishment by Hassan El Banna in the late 1920s, the Brotherhood and its official political […]

MENASource

Nov 14, 2011

News Update: November 14, 2011

By Mara Revkin

Parties and movements are divided on whether or not to participate in a protest planned for November 18 to demand a swift transfer of power to civilian leadership and reject the supra-constitutional principles. The Brotherhood-dominated Democratic Alliance and most major Islamist forces including the Salafi Nour Party have issued statements rejecting the principles, but Tagammu’ […]

MENASource

Nov 13, 2011

Egypt’s Electoral System: A recipe for pluralism or polarization?

By Mara Revkin

In two weeks, Egyptians are expected to turn out in unprecedented numbers for the country’s first ostensibly free and fair elections.  But while Egypt’s rapidly proliferating parties are enthusiastically campaigning for seats in the post-Mubarak parliament, recent changes to the electoral system may have troubling implications for the political diversity and legitimacy of the next […]

MENASource

Nov 10, 2011

News Update: November 10, 2011

By Mara Revkin

Islamist groups including al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya threatened to bus in supporters from across the country to Tahrir Square for an open-ended sit-in starting Friday, November 18, to protest the draft constitutional principles issued by Deputy Prime Minister Ali al-Selmy last week. Meanwhile, Egyptian expatriates began the online voter registration process on November 9 through the High […]

MENASource

Nov 10, 2011

Bassem Youssef Interview

By Mara Revkin and Magdy Samaan

While some seek to achieve political change through protests and elections, Egyptian YouTube sensation Bassem Youssef is determined to transform Egypt’s political landscape with comedy.

MENASource

Nov 8, 2011

News Update: November 8, 2011

By Mara Revkin

Islamist groups are calling for mass demonstrations on November 18 to protest the draft constitutional principles announced by Deputy Prime Minister Ali al-Selmi last week. Meanwhile, Sufi parties announced the formation of a coordinating committee to support Sufi candidates and their alliances in the upcoming elections, and an anonymous source close to the Church indicated […]