The sole outcome of the Egyptian parliamentary elections is a powerless
assembly. For the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) elections was business
as usual. However, the elections process was meaningless. The NDP has not only
achieved a sweeping victory in the elections, which was indeed predictable, but
also has demolished the opposition from the parliamentary scene for the next
five years.

Clearly, the contestation was not between the NDP and the “formal” opposition
parties, which got its worst result since three decades but rather with the
Muslim Brotherhood. The Egyptian regime was keen to wipe out the Muslim
Brotherhood from the parliament through a shocking defeat. Not surprisingly, the
movement lost its all 88 seats in the outgoing parliament.

Regardless the furor over elections’ procedures and the final results, the
NDP managed to secure the overwhelming majority in the parliament. In addition,
it did not recognize any alleged accusations of rigging the elections and
results are unshakable. However, the newcomers to the parliament will not be
able to fill up the awful political vacuum. Out of more than 100 renowned
opposition leaders and independent political figures in the outgoing parliament,
no one could maintain his seat. Consequently, the new parliament will be
submissive and idly in front of the NDP.

The implications of these elections are deteriorating the Egyptian political
future. Firstly, the new parliament will not be able to hinder or stop any
scenario for power transition in favor of the incumbent regime. As the
presidential elections planned to take place next year, the NDP will dominate
president’s nomination without real threats. Secondly, excluding secular and
liberal opposition from the parliament will allow the NDP to make and pass any
laws and legislations that could undermine the political freedoms. Thirdly, and
most significantly, eradicating the political presence of Muslim Brotherhood
entails ample risks. This will not only strengthen the conservative current on
the expense of reformist voices within the movement, but also might lead to
regressiveness of MB political and religious ideology.

In short, Egypt’s recent parliamentary elections proved that democracy
wheels, sometimes, could move backward.

• This month read our latest interviews with Lina al-Jazrawi and Latifa al-Bouhusseini about Women and Reform (In English and
Arabic )

• And read the latest poll of the Jordanian Center for Strategic Studies
about "the Formation of the Government of Mr. Samir
Rifai" (only in Arabic)