Candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections rushed to submit their applications to High Election Committee branches in various governorates throughout Egypt on Tuesday. Candidates from the dissolved National Democratic Party (NDP) and the Salafi Nour Party were among those most eager to apply.
Among the most prominent public figures to have submitted an application were former Solidarity Minister Ali Moselhy in Sharqiya, former Education Minister Gamal al-Araby in Qaliubiya, former Daqahliya Governor Salah al-Meadawy in Kafr El-Sheikh, Fouad Badrawy in Daqahliya and filmmaker Khaled Youssef in Banha.
Many governorates witnessed scenes of chaos and confusion Tuesday, as fights broke out among candidates and police were dispatched to maintain calm.
Scuffles broke out in Alexandria among candidate supporters who gathered in front of the Alexandria Court to secure a spot inside, prompting the police to disperse them.
In Daqahliya, police had to separate candidates from inflicting real harm on each other. Some of the candidates had spent the entire night outside the Mansoura Court to make sure they were the first to enter the building in the morning.
Candidates in Sharqiya included Magdy Ashour, whom ousted President Mohamed Morsi had accused of thuggery in his last speech.
Several young candidates put their hat in the ring in Damietta, as they decided to compete with the more well-known candidates in the governorate.
The head of the election committee granted Ismailia candidates another 24 hours to prepare and submit their applications, whereas in Matrouh, candidates complained that the committee was unprepared.
Sohag police, meanwhile, had to surround the Sohag Court with armored vehicles to keep the candidates from storming the building.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
