Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


    June 19, 2011

Egypt's PM Prefers Delay in Parliamentary Vote

   VOA News
   Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf (file photo)
   Photo: Reuters
   Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf (file photo)

   Egypt's prime minister says he would prefer a delay in parliamentary
   elections, scheduled for September, until a new constitution is
   drafted.
   Essam Sharaf says despite his personal preference for a delay, the
   interim government will do everything it can to ensure a successful
   election, whenever it is scheduled.
   Sharaf's remarks come amid a growing campaign by liberal and secular
   groups that a September vote would be unfairly advantageous to the
   Muslim Brotherhood.
   Some fear a parliament dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood could result
   in a document with an Islamist slant.
   The Muslim Brotherhood is one of the country's best organized political
   groups.
   In May, the Brotherhood announced it had formed a new political entity
   called the Freedom and Justice Party. A spokesman said the party would
   contest about half of the parliamentary seats in the upcoming election.
   The Muslim Brotherhood, which was legally banned for decades, ran its
   candidates as independents in previous parliamentary elections. The
   group controlled about one-fifth of Egypt's lower house after 2005
   elections, but was virtually shut out of parliamentary elections last
   year. The political movement was declared legal earlier this month.
   Egyptian authorities, under former President Hosni Mubarak, arrested
   hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood supporters ahead of that voting.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.
   Follow our Middle East reports on [1]Twitter
   and discuss them on our [2]Facebook page.

References

   1. http://twitter.com/VOAMiddleEast
   2. http://www.facebook.com/pages/VOAMiddleEastVoices/124360240958667?%20%20%20%20v=wall

.