Commentary
Amr Hamzawy
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Opposition in Egypt: Performance in the Presidential Election and Prospects for the Parliamentary Elections
In Egypt’s first-ever multicandidate presidential election on September 7, opponents to President Mubarak’s regime performed poorly, and Mubarak swept the election with 88.6 percent of the vote to secure his fifth presidential term. But is this landslide victory a mandate for the ruling party’s power and policies?
By Amr Hamzawy
Published on Oct 20, 2005
Source: Carnegie Endowment
In Egypt’s first-ever multicandidate presidential election on September 7, opponents to President Mubarak’s regime performed poorly, and Mubarak swept the election with 88.6 percent of the vote to secure his fifth presidential term. But is this landslide victory a mandate for the ruling party’s power and policies? Or does the election outcome merely signify Egyptian opposition’s current marginality, which must be overcome to bolster democratic reforms?
In this new Policy Outlook, Carnegie Senior Associate Amr Hamzawy provides analyses of the opposition’s strategies and performance in the presidential election. He argues that the National Democratic Party’s continued entrenchment in state institutions and the ongoing partial repression of political activity are major factors in the weakness of the opposition. In addition, Hamzawy states that the opposition forces’ own internal weaknesses and miscalculations have also contributed to their problematic situation. Without well-defined platforms, Egypt’s opposition will lose credibility and remain unable to mobilize broad constituencies for political reform.
Click on the link above for the full text of this Policy Outlook.
About the Author
Amr Hamzawy is a senior associate in the Democracy and Rule of Law Project at the Carnegie Endowment.
About the Author
Amr Hamzawy
Director, Middle East Program
Amr Hamzawy is a senior fellow and the director of the Carnegie Middle East Program. His research and writings focus on governance in the Middle East and North Africa, social vulnerability, and the different roles of governments and civil societies in the region.
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Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
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