Today sees the second round of the parliamentary elections start in nine governorates: Giza, Suez, Menoufiya, Beheira, Sharqiya, Beni Sweif, Suhag, Aswan and Ismailiya.
WATANI International
14 December 2011
Today sees the second round of the parliamentary elections start in nine governorates: Giza, Suez, Menoufiya, Beheira, Sharqiya, Beni Sweif, Suhag, Aswan and Ismailiya. The various party lists include 1656 candidates contesting 120 parliamentary seats, while 2241 independent candidates are running for 60 seats.
The first round of the elections which was held earlier this month saw the Islamists gain an unprecedented win over the liberal streams. The Muslim Brotherhood Party Al-Hurriya wal-Adala (Freedom and Justice), won the lion’s share with 40 per cent of the total number of seats on the first round, followed by the Salafis al-Nour (the Light) Party with 20 per cent, then the liberal al-Kutla al-Misriya (The Egyptian Bloc), which is a coalition between two liberal parties al-Misreyeen al-Ahrar (Free Egyptians) and al-Etehad al-Dimocraty al-Eshteraky (The Democratic Social Union) at 15 per cent.