The number of candidate applications for the upcoming House of Representatives election on October 18 has declined compared to past polls, according to an alliance of election observers.
The total number of applications by the Saturday deadline reached 5,936, an average of 10.4 applicants per seat, according to the International-Local Mission to Observe the Parliamentary Elections. It said that though the rate was “good”, it still represents a decline from previous elections.
“This may be due to, partly, the rise in the financial cost required to run, which includes insurance (LE3,000) and the cost of the medical examination (LE4,200), as well as fears that the issuance of court rulings could lead to a suspension of the elections again,” said the mission.
The report detected another drop in the number of applicants for proportional lists candidacies. It said the total number of electoral lists came to seven. The mission attributed the decline to the “difficulties faced by the parties in fulfilling constitutional requirements for the formatting of the lists, which must include a variety of categories and specific percentages”.
The International-Local Joint Mission to Observe the Parliamentary Election –Egypt 2015, is a coalition consisting of the Global Network for Rights and Development – Norway (GNRD) and the International Institute for Peace, Justice and Human Rights – Switzerland (IIPJHR). THe key local partner is represented in MAAT for Peace, Development and Human Rights, in addition to 31 other local organizations.
