The Journalists Syndicate elections slated to take place today have been postponed to 15 March. The general assembly failed to reach a quorum of 50 percent plus one of all eligible voters by 3 pm.
Voter registration began at 10 am. A quorum of 3,025 journalists out of 6,025 eligible voters was needed to hold the elections.
The elections slated to take place on 15 March will be held with a revised quorum of 25 percent plus one, or about 1,514 syndicate members.
Earlier on Friday, journalists attempted to attack outgoing syndicate head and Muslim Brotherhood-backed CEO of the state-run Al-Ahram newspaper, Mamdouh al-Wali, as he entered the syndicate headquarters in downtown Cairo.
Wali was on his way to register his attendance with the general assembly for the elections, which were to elect a new syndicate head and six out of 12 board members.
The protesting journalists chanted anti-Brotherhood slogans and tried to prevent Wali from entering the building.
Wali’s supporters and opponents quarreled, and minor skirmishes were reported. Wali’s supporters then secured his entry to the building.
Wali is not running for the chief post in this election. The frontrunners for the title are Abdel Mohsen Salama, managing editor of Al-Ahram newspaper, and Diaa Rashwan, the head of Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic studies.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
