In a move to increase public awareness ahead of Egypt`s parliament elections, opposition youth groups issue a blacklist to hinder parliamentarians affiliated to the former regime from being re-elected.
A political group, which calls itself the Shadow Government of the Coalition of the Revolution`s Youth has compiled an extensive blacklist of Mubarak-era parliament members. They list tens of members from ousted president Mubarak`s National Democratic Party (NDP) from various governorates and electoral districts.
The purpose of the list is to help voters recognise the names of the previous Mubarak-era parliamentarians so they do not vote for them if they re-run in the 28 November elections for the Lower House of Parliament this year.
The head of the coalition, Ali Abdel-Aziz, announced that the coalition will "continue to expose NDP remnants through counterpropaganda in order to warn people of their presence."
The president of the coalition`s advisory council stated that NDP remnants are "mobilising confidentially to avoid being unmasked." He further said that the former NDP parliamentarians are spending millions of Egyptian pounds on their election campaigns.
Some of the people on the blacklist have spoken out against the blacklists.
For example, Khalifa Radwan, who was a member of the NDP`s Policies Secretariat and parliament, fought back by accusing those who created blacklists of "sedition and inciting division" stating they "serve foreign agendas, which are detrimental to the country`s interest."
Nagwa Wa`er, former NDP parliament representative, described the counterpropaganda targeting former NDP representatives as "nonsense," arguing that the reason she was elected for parliament was her reputation for doing volunteer work in her electoral district.
The resurfacing of NDP remnants is anticipated in the coming elections. Forged elections benefitting the NDP during Mubarak’s 30-year reign have caused fear that the same regime might re-emerge on the political scene.
Political groups and parties in Egypt have been demanding the reactivation of the Treason Law, which bans anyone involved in corruption from participating in politics.
[Developed in partnership between Jadaliyya and Ahram Online"]