State-run newspaper Al-Ahram leads its Thursday coverage with the headline: “A presidential decree calling voters to the parliament elections on the 28th of November.” Minister of interior, Habib al-Adly, will soon welcome all candidates to run in the impending elections, the article says.
“42 million citizens have the right to vote…and elections campaign is limited to 21 days,” reads another Al-Ahram headline.
State-run Al-Akhbar also headlines with the election date announcement. A small article on the next parliamentary round launching date is also included.
“Repetition on 5 December and the new parliament round starts on the 13th of December,” reads an Al-Shorouk headline. The privately-owned paper reports that the late elections are unconstitutional. By law the Egyptian president must convene the newly elected parliament on the second Thursday in November, the paper says.
Al-Ahram also reports on the visit of Iraqi incumbent PM Nouri al-Maliki to Cairo. “Egypt supports a government that represents all the Iraqi sects,” reads the headline. The prime minister also pledged to ameliorate Egyptian construction company difficulties in Iraq, according to the article.
In Al-Akhbar, Nouri al-Maliki is quoted in a headline as saying, “Egypt doesn’t side by a group on account of other groups …and the new government will see the light soon.” The Iraqi politician pointed out the fragile, sectarian composition of Iraq, the article says.
The privately-owned Al-Shorouk posted on the main spot of its front page a photo of Muslim Brotherhood (MB) protests. Under the title of “Against Rigging,” the caption says 200 MB students demonstrated in front of Ain-Shams University gates for half an hour early Wednesday. The students held signs denouncing university security affiliated with Egypt’s ruling regime.
Earlier this month MB students were prevented from participating in student unions elections in many of Egypt’s public universities.
Al-Shorouk also reports on the arrival of the “Vein of Life” convoy to the seafront city of Arish en route to Gaza. The spokesman of the convoy is quoted as saying Egyptian cooperation with the convoy improves its image around the world.
The convoy is the fifth in a row of humanitarian aid convoys that, in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war in 2008, are trying to provide supplies to the besieged strip.
Wafd, opposition party newspaper, questioned in its top headlines the latest presidential decree that amends political rights legislation. “The parliament ignored organizing the electing and declaration of results procedures,” the lead quotes the minister of justice. The new amendments instituted by President Mubarak facilitate the new women’s quota for parliamentary seats.
Wafd chooses “The elections of the first Muslim as a head of a municipality in Canada,” as a front-page headline. The paper covers the news piece from Ottawa’s Agence France Press (AFP). The AFP article says Muslim Nahed Nintche has become president of the Calgary municipality.
Private-owned Al-Dostour leads its front page with a National Democratic Party official's attack on US foreign policy. “The US is trying to impose international monitoring of coming presidential elections,” says secretary of the media for the NDP Ali Eddin Helal. “Egypt will never accept interference in its internal affairs.”
Egyptian officials criticize what they consider international interference in Egyptian private affairs, according to Al-Dostour. A US recent congressional bill urged President Obama to push for Egyptian reform. The bill pointed to the 30-year-old state of emergency and guarantees of fair elections, the paper says.
Egypt's papers:
Al-Ahram: Daily, state-run, largest distribution in Egypt
Al-Akhbar: Daily, state-run, second to Al-Ahram in institutional size
Al-Gomhorriya: Daily, state-run
Rose al-Youssef: Daily, state-run, close to the National Democratic Party's Policies Secretariat
Al-Dostour: Daily, privately owned
Al-Shorouk: Daily, privately owned
Al-Wafd: Daily, published by the liberal Wafd Party
Al-Arabi: Weekly, published by the Arab Nasserist party
Youm7: Weekly, privately owned
Sawt al-Umma: Weekly, privately owned
