[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Egypt and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Egypt Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to egypt@jadaliyya.com by Sunday night of every week.]
Egypt Elections: Preliminary Statements by Two International Observation Missions
EgyptSource summarizes the European Union’s Election Observer Mission (EUEOM) and the US-based Democracy International’s (DI) initial statements on Egypt’s presidential elections.
Egypt, the Election, and Sectarian Analysis
Jayson Casper writes on the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance on the presidential election.
Sisinomics: Is Egypt about to Witness a New Wave of Austerity?
Tom Rollins analyzes possible changes in Egypt’s economic policies under al-Sisi’s rule.
Egypt`s Revolution Will Not Be Undone: The People Still Have the Will
Ahdaf Soueif argues that revolutionary movements will persist in Egypt despite the current political developments.
Egypt: Human Rights On Hold, In the Name of Economic Development
Rania Fazeh argues, ““Development without rights” is usually abusive and unsustainable, and brings domestic and international business into disrepute.”
El Sisi`s Tainted Legitimacy
Marwa Fikry Abdel Samei argues, “Elections have exposed the fragility of Sisi’s rule and sent up warning signs of the dangerous path that will be pursued. Votes are being counted, and declaring Sisi the winner is just a formality. However, a tainted legitimacy will haunt him.”
As in Egypt, No Reset for Libya’s Transition
Scott Williamson compares Egypt and Libya’s rhetoric “war on terror.”
Damsels in Distress and Innocent Victims: Images of Women in Egypt after June 30
Sara Hansen writes on Egyptian women’s political movement following the 30 June uprising/coup.
Top Ten Reasons Why Many Egyptians Will Vote For Sisi
Tawfik Hamid explains the reasons behind al-Sisi’s landslide win in the 2014 presidential elections.
Sisi Loses Turnout Battle in Egypt`s Election
Wael Nawara says, “While Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is expected to win in a landslide, the low voter turnout reflects the failure of his campaign to manage expectations and build a mandate for governance.”
Copts in El Sisi`s Egypt
Mina Fayek argues that al-Sisi will not bring equality and justice to the Coptic community in Egypt.
Egypt Rural Tribes Expect Payback For Backing Sisi
Safa Joudeh says, “Egyptian President-elect Abdel Fattah al-Sisi wove ties with Egypt’s leading tribes to win support from the countryside, but the tribes want benefits in return.”
Egypt’s Vote For Repression
Zenonia Azeem argues that democracy in Egypt is regressing by the 2014 presidential votes.
Egypt: The Youth Win
Sara Khorshid writes, “One can be sure that a battle has already begun between an alienated but resilient youth and an aging regime that has tightened its grip on power and started a fierce crackdown campaign on dissident voices.”
A Not So Good Omen
Basil El-Dabh reacts to the publics’ perceptions of al-Sisi.
Salafi Choices During the Presidential Elections
Nader Bakkar explains the choices al-Nour Party made during the presidential elections.
Who Runs Sharm el-Sheikh?
Karim Malak writes on the impact of business projects on the environment in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Pundits Wring Hands Over Low Voter Turnout
Mostafa Mohie writes on media outlets’ reaction over the low voter turnout in the 2014 presidential election.
The Hopeful Underdogs
Passant Rabie sheds light on Sabbahi’s presidential campaign position during the voting process.
Thinking about Egyptian Politics from the Bottom Up
Paul Sedra argues that the January 25 Revolution activates informal politics that will not be abandoned any time soon.
Apathetic Students
Mai Shams El-Din highlights students’ position on the presidential election.
Mahalla Highlights Workers’ High Expectations of Sisi
Jano Charbel writes on the stance of the working-class during the presidential election.
The Voice of Christians
Lina Attalah argues, “While many Christians are leaning toward Sisi, some define the community differently by opting for Sabbahi.”
Between Voting For Sabbahi and Boycotting
Leyla Doss sheds light on the revolutionaries and activists’ stance on either voting for Sabbahi or boycotting the presidential election.
Tactical Voters
Lina Attalah and Ursula Lindsey argue, “Voting for Sabbahi is a tactical anti-Sisi gesture, seen as important for the future of politics in the country.”
The Wandering Box: Storytelling in the Age of the Megacity
Lindsey Parietti says, “Mahatat co-founder Heba El-Cheikh says the project’s curator, actor and filmmaker Aida El Kashef, conceived the Wonder Box from an old folkloric tradition called “sunduq al-dunia,” in which an entertainer would travel around with a magic box.”
The Old Regime Rallies Around Sisi
Jahd Khalil writes on the political movements and rallies of Mubarak regime’s remnants’ (feloul) around al-Sisi’s presidential campaign.
The Disorient Express: Egypt and the Language of Darkness
Amro Ali argues, “The inevitable problem herein is that if it takes hysteria to bring a man to the presidency, it will take hysteria to continue to legitimize his presidency. A “platform” of security and stability cannot be maintained without consistently invoking the scarecrow of chaos.”
In Arabic:
الفقراء فى الانتظار
Amr Khafaga argues that the new government must not overlook the poor’s demands.
«ومازال «الشعب يريد
Ayman Sayyad writes on the regime’s violations of social, economic, and political rights of the Egyptian people.
أهل دين أم هواة سياسة؟
Fahmy Huwaidy reacts to the religious subtexts used to advocate for the presidential election.
«اختيارات المعارضة «٢-٢
Amr Hamzawy argues that human rights activists and democracy advocates should establish a clear framework. (Part 2)
«اختيارات المعارضة «١-٢
Amr Hamzawy argues that human rights activists and democracy advocates should establish a clear framework. (Part 1)
في نقاش مفتوح حول كتاب "رأس المال في القرن الواحد والعشرين": تراكم رأس المال لا يؤدي بالضرورة إلى انخفاض الفقر
Egyptian Initiative For Personal Rights (EIPR) discusses French economist Thomas Piketty’s book titled “Capital in the Twenty-First Century.”
تدين السيسي
Khalil al-Anani analyzes al-Sisi’s “religious” rhetoric.
الغاز من أجل الذهب والسكن
Osama Diyab sheds light on the corruption in the petroleum and energy industry during Mubarak’s rule.
أصوات قبطية مختلفة
Lina Attalah argues, “While many Christians are leaning toward Sisi, some define the community differently by opting for Sabbahi.”
طوارئ وغضب بسبب ضعف الإقبال على التصويت
Mustafa Mehee writes on the media and state reactions to the low voter turnout during the 2014 presidential election.
َ!أن تصوت لصباحي
Mustafa Mehee writes on the experience of two women voters during the polling process.
Recently on Jadaliyya Egypt:
Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival: "La voix est libre"
Medrar TV interviews French artist Blaise Merlin in which he “explains his vision in bringing the festival to the region, and what the Cairo shows mean to him.”
Sisi Mania in Photos
Jonathan Rashad covers the presidential elections via photo essay shedding light on al-Sisi’s popularity among voters everywhere.
السيسي رجلنا
Sheren Seikaly argues that al-Sisi has “substituted identity for politics” to gain popularity among Egyptian men and women.
Egypt: Dozens of Disappeared Civilians Face Ongoing Torture at Military Prison
Jadaliyya’s Reports Page publishes a report released by Amnesty International shedding light on the disappearance of civilians and torture they face in Al-Azouly military prison.
الخطر القادم من حمدين صباحي
George Giacaman writes on Sabbahi’s political potential in becoming a serious political contender to the regime in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Our Man, Sisi
Sheren Seikaly argues that al-Sisi has “substituted identity for politics” to gain popularity among Egyptian men and women.