Preliminary results of Egypt's presidential polls signal a landslide win for ex-army chief Abd El-Fattah El-Sisi. Initial figures give him over 95% of the votes.
El-Sisi enjoys a wide popularity among Egyptians since he deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi amid nationwide protests against him in July 2013. So these results are a victory for many of his supporters who vehemently oppose the Muslim Brotherhood or even the revolutionary youth - seen as "rash" or "unpatriotic".
El-Sisi enjoys a wide popularity among Egyptians since he deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi amid nationwide protests against him in July 2013. So these results are a victory for many of his supporters who vehemently oppose the Muslim Brotherhood or even the revolutionary youth - seen as "rash" or "unpatriotic".
However, for many young people El-Sisi is a new Mubarak, against whom they revolted in 2011. And his presidential victory, especially with such popular support, falls heavy upon them.
Many young social media users circulated photos of old-regime media content, that either hit the credibility of its figures or reflected a lack of change over the years.
Many young social media users circulated photos of old-regime media content, that either hit the credibility of its figures or reflected a lack of change over the years.
 |
This great shot by photographer Mohamed El-Shahed for AFP is of a wall on a Cairo street bearing two front pages of state-owned daily newspapers Al-Akhbar (L) and Al-Gomhouriya (R). The headlines show old promises of the army and the Brotherhood, claiming they don't aspire for power... when in fact time has shown that they both sought it later.
Al-Akhbar's headline reads, "The Muslim Brotherhood does not seek presidency... or government posisitions", while Al-Gomhourihya says, "The military institution will not nominate or support anyone for presidency."
The Brotherhood put Mohamed Morsi forward for presidential elections in 2012, and the army did the same with El-Sisi in 2014.
As for the huge margin in the poll results, some social media users pulled out the front pages of state-owned newspapers during Gamal Abd El-Nasser's and Mubarak's reigns.
The newspapers claimed an extremely high winning percentage for the ex-presidents. These figures were regarded as iconic of authoritative regimes in Egypt over the years. And this is perhaps why the 2012 elections were celebrated in part for the figures they produced, reflecting people's choices with greater credibility.
However, in the eyes of some social media users, this scenario does not seem to apply anymore. In fact, they think it's a regression.
Al-Akhbar's headline reads, "The Muslim Brotherhood does not seek presidency... or government posisitions", while Al-Gomhourihya says, "The military institution will not nominate or support anyone for presidency."
The Brotherhood put Mohamed Morsi forward for presidential elections in 2012, and the army did the same with El-Sisi in 2014.
* * *
The newspapers claimed an extremely high winning percentage for the ex-presidents. These figures were regarded as iconic of authoritative regimes in Egypt over the years. And this is perhaps why the 2012 elections were celebrated in part for the figures they produced, reflecting people's choices with greater credibility.
However, in the eyes of some social media users, this scenario does not seem to apply anymore. In fact, they think it's a regression.
 |
| Photo: Twitter |
Al-Akhbar: 99.9% voted for Gamal Abdel Nasser as president.
 |
| Photo: Twitter |
Postal stamp bearing the same declaration, except it adds an extra "9" digit making the percentage: 99.999!
 |
| Photo: Twitter |
Preliminary results show more than 90% choosing "Yes" [for Mubarak as president] in the referendum and the turnout exceeds 90%
(It is worth pointing out here to the EU's delegation to Egypt report on monitoring the 2014 presidential elections.)
* * *
Meanwhile, some figures of old regimes appeared for real in the Egyptian presidential elections, including Jihanne El-Sadat, ex-president Anwar El-Sadat's widow. The former first lady was casting her vote in a polling station in Dokki district, Giza.
 |
| Photo: Twitter |
 |
| Photo: Twitter |
Also, former prime minister Ahmed Nazif was spotted casting his vote in 6 of October suburb of Giza.
Nazif was released from jail last year. However, he still faces trial on corruption charges.
* * *
False news alert!
However, this is an old photo of the former first lady. It was taken while the Mubaraks were still in power, most likely during the 2010 Shoura Council elections [Arabic page].
Suzanne Mubarak did not face any official charges or trials unlike her husband and sons after the 2011 uprising. Suzanne, and Khadiga El-Gammal (Gamal's wife) and Heidi Rasekh (Alaa's wife) have also kept a low profile in media and public life.
Note: A recent in-depth feature published recently in Mada Masr claimed that Suzanne is still living in the Orouba Palace, that the state allegedly sold to her implicitly during Mubarak's reign.
No comments:
Post a Comment