Election Monitor: Challenges to the Muslim Brotherhood, tribalism and family politics may be reason for surplus NDP candidates

The Muslim Brotherhood (MB) on Sunday faces an ongoing security crackdown, escalating electoral battles with the NDP and Wafd parties, and persistent internal dissension in the run-up to parliamentary elections.

Brotherhood member arrests have reached 487–288 members of which remain detained–since the movement announced its participation in upcoming elections, reports privately-owned Al-Shorouk. MB attorney Abdul Monem Abdul Maksoud pointed out that three women and five candidates are among those detained. Eighty-nine members have been transferred to criminal courts.  

Al-Shorouk’s report adds that the NDP-MB battle has taken to the web with official party sites exchanging allegations of fraud and electoral violence. According to the NDP website, the Brotherhood has started to implement the fatwa issued by Abdul Rahman al-Bir, a member of its Guiding Bureau, which calls on citizens to become martyrs through guarding ballot boxes.

The Ministry of Interior has requested all governors keep close watch over the skin collected from animals slaughtered during this year’s Eid, reports Sawt Al-Umma. The ministry of interior attributed its decision to the fact that the Brotherhood made LE30 million profit by selling donated animal skin last year.

State-run Rose Al-Youssef reports that supporters of MB candidate Mohammed al-Biltagi distributed Brotherhood campaign materials at the electoral headquarters of an NDP candidate. The situation escalated and MB supporters, wielding knives, injured 20 of NDP supporters, according to Rose Al-Youssef.

NDP-MB-Wafd competition is escalating in several districts. Hotly-contested districts include Dar al-Salam and Bassatin, where NDP candidate Akmal Kortam faces competition from two MB candidates over the professionals’ seat, reports state-run Al-Ahram. The battle is “boiling” in the large district of Kirdasa, which hosts 220,000 voters and candidates from all political parties and movements, reports state-run Al-Gomhorriya. According to the report, there are rumors that excluded NDP candidates will ally themselves with MB candidates to defeat the NDP.

In Shubra al-Khaima, the battle of “bone-breaking” has started between NDP candidates, the Brotherhood and independent candidates, according to state-run Rose Al-Youssef. MB candidate Gamal Shehata has decided to withdraw from the race due to health reasons. Shehata is reportedly coordinating with independent candidate Gamal Zahran. The Brotherhood will likely nominate another candidate but has yet to reveal his identity.

Rose Al-Youssef reports the Wafd party refused to coordinate with the Brotherhood in Port-Said, arguing that the Brotherhood recanted an agreement to support Wafd party candidate Mosaad al-Miligi in the last Shura council elections. Port Said Wafd leadership accused the Brotherhood of trying to penetrate the Wafd party through recently-admitted members. Wafd officials pointed out that the MB has a “black history,” warning of any efforts to coordinate with the movement.

Wafd party president Al-Sayyid al-Badawi had given committees throughout the governorates the right to make individual determinations with regards to coordinating with other parties, including the “outlawed” Muslim Brotherhood.

In addition to the ongoing security crackdown and electoral competition, the MB continues to face internal opposition ahead of November elections. The opposition front within the Brotherhood has launched an attack against MB Supreme Guide Mohammed Badi, arguing that Badi is promoting MB candidates with speeches and statements that are beyond the understanding of the ordinary Egyptians, reports privately-owned Al-Dostour. The front criticized the Brotherhood's slogan, which includes the phrase “Islam is the Solution”, while proposing an alternative message that invokes poverty and the increase in commodity prices.

Ambiguity remains regarding the Brotherhood’s goals in this year’s elections. According to a report by Rose Al-Youssef, the group seeks to attract media attention, rather than achieve political or social goals, by nominating candidates with no political experience and no history of public service to compete against ministers. 

MB activist Haytham Abu Khalil argued that the purpose of the Brotherhood’s participation this year is to establish a greater political presence rather than achieve other political or social goals, noting the Brotherhood is fully aware that it will not gain the same number of seats as in 2005 after the failure of its parliamentarians to achieve tangible reform.

In other news, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Mufid Shebab argued that tribalism and family politics were behind the NDP’s decision to allow multiple candidates per district. The party sought to avoid bloody conflict in districts where tribalism and family politics are strong, such Upper Egypt, north Sinai, and Alexandria. Al-Ahram's Hazem Abdul Rahma points out that the NDP shelved party discipline in favor of loyalty to family and tribe in this year’s elections.