The Free Egyptians Party on Monday announced it will boycott the upcoming Shura Council elections to protest violations committed during the People's Assembly elections.
In a statement, the party cited the "lack of seriousness in addressing violations committed so far during parliamentary elections, which have impacted the results of the vote."
The violations included illegal campaigning during the 48 hours prior to elections, which the High Judicial Elections Commission has described as minor, with no impact on the overall integrity of the process.
The party filed about 500 complaints about the alleged violations but nothing has been done, which could encourage more serious violations during the Shura Council violations, the statement said.
Some parties have used religious discourse so intensely that the parliamentary race has become a religious battle, the party said.
The party has not left the Egyptian Bloc, however, and its decision does not mean that other bloc members should boycott, the statement added.
The head of Egypt's ruling military council had previously decided to hold the elections for the Shura Council, the upper house of Egypt’s bicameral parliament, in two phases instead of three.
Meanwhile, the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party and the Salafi-oriented Nour Party won a majority of seats in the People’s Assembly while the Egyptian Bloc — which includes the Free Egyptians, leftist Tagammu and the Egyptian Social Democratic parties — only won about 12 seats.
The Shura Council does not have a significant legislative role and slows down the process of democratic transformation, the Free Egyptians Party statement said.
Shura Council elections are scheduled to start 29 January and end 22 February.
