Egypt: Bullying And Vote-Buying in the Run-off Elections
 
The polling stations of the Egyptian Parliamentary run-off elections have closed at 7:00 pm (Cairo timing). Many irregularities have been recorded during the run-off on the part of the NDP candidates. The irregularities included vote-buying – 500 pounds for a single vote- particularly in Naser City and Heliopolis constituency, where the Muslim Brotherhood candidates Dr. Makarem al-Deri and Essam Mukhtar contend with the NDP candidates Mustafa Al-Sallab and Thuraya Labana.

A number of polling stations in some constituencies have witnessed collective voting; i.e., masses of governmental employees form inside and outside the constituency were brought to vote for the NDP candidates. Abdeen and Al-Mosky constituency was the most remarkable of such collective voting.

Many electors were brought to Cairo from Kafr Al-Sheikh, Al-Dakahleya governorates and 10th of Ramadan City to cast their ballots in favor of the NDP candidate, businessman Talaat Al-Qawas against the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, lawyer Gamal Hanafy.

Hostile actions were committed by a number of NDP thugs in some constituencies of El-Minya and Asyut governorates.       

Meanwhile, representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood candidates have given strict instructions to the deputies of the polling stations not to leave the votes counting process. The Muslim Brotherhood had doubted the results of the votes counting of the first round.

The run-off elections took place in 74 constituencies in 8 governorates to elect 133 candidates. 42 Muslim Brotherhood candidates have been vying in the run-off, while they won 4 seats in the first round.