Many seats go to hardliners in Egypt’s poll

Press, 10 April 1987, Page 10

Many seats go to hardliners in Egypt’s poll

NZPA-Reuter Cairo President Hosni Mubarak’s National Democratic,Party is set to dominate a new Egyptian parliament after elections that unexpectedly put the Labour-Moslem Brotherhood alliance in second place. Sources close to the N.D.P. said the party’s election campaign had focused on fighting the centre-right New Wafd party, .largest opposition group in the old assembly, and had allowed a more hardline group to gain many seats.

The semi-official “AlAhram” newspaper said initial results showed the N.D.P. with 75 per cent of Monday’s vote.

The centre-left Socialist Labour Party (SLP) and its election partners, the Moslem Brotherhood, were in second place with 13 per dent while the

Wafd collected 10 per cent, according to the newspaper.

S.L.P. leader Ibrahim Shukri, appointed to the last assembly by President Mubarak who names 10 members to join 448 elected ones, told Reuters he expected bis party to win 80 seats. Al-Ahram said the combined opposition was likely to take more than 90.

The S.LP. and the Brotherhood, a group banned by law but tolerated, want the issue of Sharia (Islamic law) in Egypt discussed in parliament and laws reviewed to match the Koran, holy book of the Moslem faith. "We do not just want it discussed, we want results,” Shukri said. The official result is expected to be announced later today by Interior Minister Zaki Badr. Another issue on which the government and the alliance are bound to clash is relations with Israel and their effect on ties with Arab states, especially Libya and Syria.

Most Arab states cut links with Egypt after it signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979. Relations have improved, but Damascus and Tripoli remain strong critics of Cairo’s Middle East policies. Mubarak has said he seeks rapprochement with Syrian President Hafez Al-Assad, who wants the peace treaty cancelled before any steps are taken to improve ties. Shukri also urges Cancellation of the treaty and a halt to normalisation of relations with Israel. The Government and the opposition will, also clash over an emergency ■ law in effect since Moslem fundamentalists killed President Anwar Sadat in 1981. The law is due for renewal next year.