Note: Three rounds of elections to the Egyptian People’s Assembly Assembly began on 28 November. The first free and open election after the removal of President Hosni Mubarak drew widespread attention both within and outside the Middle East and was commented upon. Given its importance and implications editorial commentaries from the international and Middle Eastern media are reproduced here. Editor, MEI@ND
*

The Jerusalem Post, Editorial, 29 August 2011, Monday
1. Egypt’s Brotherhood
Will the Brotherhood use the unprecedented opening offered by the upcoming elections to support a turn toward democracy? As Egyptian elections draw near, the Muslim Brotherhood, careful to keep a low profile during the revolt that overthrew Hosni Mubarak, is seizing the political momentum. The intensely disciplined Islamist group is Egypt’s most cohesive political movement, and the largest organization apart from the Egyptian military itself. Through its network of schools and clinics, and by offering social services, it enjoys an unparalleled ability to mobilize its followers. For the Full text

The New York Times, Editorial, 15 November 2011, Tuesday
2. Egypt’s Elections
Egyptians are embarked upon the next step in their Arab Spring evolution — electing a democratic civilian government. Tunisia’s elections went smoothly last month (October 2011). But the signs in Egypt, a far more influential player, are not good. The army, which is still running the show, appears to be far more interested in protecting its power than promoting real democratic change. For the Full text

Guardian, London, Editorial, 24 November 2011, Thursday
3. Egypt: Hobson's choice
Just as Hosni Mubarak did in his final days in power, Egypt's ruling generals have been staging a rearguard action with a series of steps that are too little, too late. Just as Hosni Mubarak did in his final days in power, Egypt's ruling generals have been staging a rearguard action with a series of steps that are too little, too late. On Tuesday (22 November) Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi promised presidential elections would be held in June next year (2012) and that the army would leave power thereafter, but he refused to apologize for the deaths and horrific injuries his security forces had caused. For the Full text

Ha'aretz, Tel Aviv, Editorial, 28 November 2011, Monday
4. Israel must adjust its policy to Egypt's changing reality
The first round of elections to Egypt's parliament, which begins today (28 November), is the first democratic outcome of the revolution. As such, it presents a historic challenge to the Egyptian people. The first round of elections to Egypt's parliament, which begins today (28 November), is the first democratic outcome of the revolution. As such, it presents a historic challenge to the Egyptian people, who had been educated for decades to see elections as an asset of their rulers rather than a whip in the people's hands or a means to build the desired regime. For the Full text

Khaleej Times, Dubai, Editorial, 28 November 2011, Monday
5. Egyptians must come out and vote
Electing those they want to see at the helm of affairs is their only way forward. Today (28 November) marks a new era in Egypt's history as Egyptians cast their votes in the country's first free parliamentary elections. It is crucial that the elections go ahead in a peaceful manner. It is also important that these first genuinely democratic elections are successful and attract the full participation of all Egyptians who after decades of authoritarian government deserve a brighter future. For the Full text

Khaleej Times, Dubai, Editorial, 29 November 2011, Tuesday
6. Egypt’s Crucial Vote
It’s time for political transition in Egypt. More than 50 million eligible voters in the North African country are in the process of writing history as they kick-started a patience-laden electoral process that will see months of balloting to elect members for the national and provincial assemblies. For the Full text

The National, Abu Dhabi, Editorial, 30 November 2011, Wednesday
7. Possibilities and pitfalls as Egypt counts its votes
Egyptians in nine of the country's 27 governorates voted Monday (28 November) and yesterday (29 November), in the first round of marathon parliamentary elections that will not be completed until early next year (2012). Results of this week's voting, and an accurate tally of the voter turnout, will have to wait. But already there is reason to believe that this process is itself changing the rules in Egypt. For the Full text

Guardian, London, Editorial, 1 December 2011, Thursday
8. Egypt: opportunities, not threats
The argument that the country was in too much turmoil to hold elections has, so far, not been borne out. For much of the last year (2010), the rise of political Islam as a beneficiary of the Arab spring has been seen as a problem, not an opportunity. Those who recall the influence that the Muslim Brotherhood's Sayyid Qutb became after his execution in 1966, on the Egyptian ideologue Ayman al-Zawahiri and his pupil Osama bin Laden, discount the schisms that followed. For the Full text

The New York Times, Editorial, 1 December 2011, Thursday
9. Egypt’s Vote
Egyptians proved their mettle again this week by turning out in huge numbers to begin electing their first freely chosen Parliament. To get to this point, they had to force the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak, and tens of thousands braved a vicious crackdown in recent days to protest the army’s hold on power. Voters showed courage and will to move to build a new democratic order. For the Full text

The Boston Globe, Editorial, 2 December 2011, Friday
10. Honour Egypt’s election results
Egypt’s landmark parliamentary elections, the first vote to take place in the country since the ouster of Hosni Mubarak, ought to be celebrated and respected, despite the apparent victory of Islamist groups in the first round. Americans often call for democracy in the Arab world, only to turn their backs when Islamists win. That shouldn’t happen, so long as Egypt’s Islamists adhere to democratic rules — by protecting the rights of all Egyptians, including minorities, and leaving peacefully if and when they are voted out of office. For the Full text

The Hindu, Chennai, Editorial, 3 December 2011, Saturday
11. Egypt's problematic election
The Egyptian election, the countries first since Hosni Mubarak's 30-year dictatorship ended, is procedurally complex. More important, the exercise, which started on November 28 (2011), takes place in a profoundly uncertain political climate. It is not a general election; the bodies elected — the 498-seat People's Assembly, and the 270-seat Shura Council (upper house) — will have the task of writing a constitution ahead of the June 2012 presidential election. Both chambers will be elected under a version of the additional member system; the 50-million electorate will choose two-thirds of the members from party lists and one-third by simple majority, but if they do not also pick two independents on their respective ballot papers, their votes will be invalid. For the Full text

The Daily Star, Beirut, Editorial, 5 December 2011, Monday
12. Egypt’s Crossroad
The news that the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups have taken 65 percent of the vote in Egypt’s first free democratic elections for decades should surprise no one. The Brotherhood’s popularity ought to have been a given. Sidelined and persecuted for decades under former President Hosni Mubarak, the party has long positioned itself as a popular alternative to tyranny; this past week was the first opportunity for it to legitimately operate as such. In addition, in a country where unemployment, poverty and illiteracy levels are elevated, the phenomenon of choosing political affiliation on religious grounds finds fertile breeding. For the Full text

Khaleej Times, Dubai, Editorial, 6 December 2011, Tuesday
13. Egypt’s newest challenge
The first round of elections held last week in Egypt has brought a new issue to the forefront. The Islamist parties have won majority of the seats and are expected to secure more in the run offs scheduled this week. Preliminary results of the first round had yielded only 13.4 per cent votes in favour of secular parties in comparison to the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party’s 36.6 per cent votes. The rest of the votes — that saw a 60 per cent turnout — have been netted by another hardliner Islamist party.  This development has led to growing concern of a restrictive and extremist government. For the Full text

The National, Abu Dhabi, Editorial, 6 December 2011, Tuesday
14. Democracy will be a balancing act in Egypt
Observers inside and outside of Egypt expected the Muslim Brotherhood to make a strong showing in the first round of parliamentary voting in that country. Figures around 40 per cent were often mentioned, and in fact the Brotherhood won 36.6 per cent of the vote. For the Full text

Khaleej Times, Dubai, Editorial, 10 December 2011, Saturday
15. Cairo’s path undefined
Egypt is at the crossroads of transition. The first phase of ballot last week has swung in a surprise. The four-decade banned political entity, the Muslim Brotherhood, is leading the vote tally and is expected to bag more than 50 per cent of the assembly seats in the lower house of the parliament. For the Full text

Khaleej Times, Dubai, Editorial, 18 December 2011, Sunday
16. Sentiments on Tahrir
Egypt is on the boil. Irrespective of the fact that a transition process is under way, it seems an overwhelming section of the people doesn’t have their faith in it. Though electorate have thronged to vote in the ongoing phased parliamentary elections, the junta, however, has not been able to ensure across-the-board that it will take a backseat and not be a stakeholder in power politics. For the Full text

Khaleej Times, Dubai, Editorial, 21 December 2011, Wednesday
17. Cairo at tipping point
The continuing unrest in Egypt is deeply disturbing. The military’s Ruling Council is being blamed for using excessive force against protesters especially women. However, the question is if the protesters can be exempted from blame, considering the vandalism and lawlessness that has been witnessed over the past many days. Particularly appalling is the burning down of a priceless collection of books and manuscripts at the Institute d’Egypte — a research centre set up by Napoleon Bonaparte during France’s invasion of Egypt in the late 18th century — in the fire that started during clashes between the military and protesters. While investigation on how the fire started is underway the damage done may be irreversible. For the Full text

Compiled by Alvite N

Alvite N is a Doctoral candidate at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Email

As part of its editorial policy, the MEI@ND standardizes spelling and date formats to make the text uniformly accessible and stylistically consistent. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views/positions of the MEI@ND.  Editor, MEI@ND:  P R Kumaraswamy