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GLASS HALF FULL
Low voter turnout and alleged voting irregularities
cast a pall on President Hosni Mubarak’s sweeping victory in
last month’s presidential election. For the first time in history,
Egyptians were given a chance to elect their leader. Granted, given
the confusion over registration, absence of key political parties,
short campaign season, fear of recrimination among opposition supporters
and the sheer weight of the incumbent’s campaign – the
result seemed a foregone conclusion. Mubarak claimed nearly 89 percent
of the 7.3 million ballots cast while his closest challenger, firebrand
Al-Ghad Party leader Ayman Nour, secured just 7 percent of votes.
The official turnout was a low 23 percent of Egypt’s 32 million
registered voters.
But it’s far too easy to see the negatives, while ignoring
some of the positives, which can be measured in subtle ways. For
the first time, Egypt’s president found himself in the vulnerable
position of having to canvass support from the street. This not
only made him more accountable to the people, it opened the door
to aspiring presidential candidates, who – in another first
– were able to speak openly of alternative policies.
Moreover, opposing voices were given slots on state-run television
and space in state newspapers with the government picking up the
tab. And while their messages were often lost amidst the juggernaut
of the Mubarak media campaign, who could have ever imagined that
a full-page ad by opposition party leader Noaman Gomaa would appear
on the coveted page 3 of the state’s flagship daily, Al-Ahram?
Or that state-run Channel 2 would open a forum for opposition parties
to discuss their platforms?
These were significant breakthroughs that intimated greater plurality
in Egyptian politics. The real test will come during next month’s
parliamentary elections, when opposition candidates are expected
to make a strong showing. The media focus the September 7 election
garnered could put more pressure on the government to allow international
monitors.
While opposition parties may have lost this battle, it’s questionable
whether any of the nine challengers and their respective parties
were really politically mature enough for the post. However, given
six more years to develop in a climate of renewed political vigor,
Egypt may yet see viable political actors emerge.
One thing that can’t be denied is that now that Mubarak has
planted the seed of democracy, there’s no going back. Having
tasted democracy, many Egyptians are hungering for more.
CAM MCGRATH
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