Sources close to the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) Guidance Bureau told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the MB intends to hold two meetings during the coming 48 hours to discuss the bill granting women 56 parliamentary seats. The first meeting will be held by the MB Parliamentary Bloc and the second by the MB Guidance Bureau. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the sources said the MB members split over the bill. Mohamed Habib, the MB First Deputy General Guide, said there are ongoing and extensive discussions in the Group's Shura Council to agree on a final stance towards the bill. These discussions aim to reach a minimum limit acting in the interests of the Egyptians, as he put it.
With regard to rumors that the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) would take over the 56 seats if the parliament passed the law, Habib said: "It would not be strange if the ruling party took over the 56 seats, as it has been controlling the entire country." He called for a full judicial supervision over elections, describing the exclusion of the judicial supervision as falsification of the people's will. He said that the NDP has made Egypt a "laughingstock" after the amendments it made to serve its own interests.
Saad el-Husseini, a member in the MB Guidance Bureau, said the MB Parliamentary Bloc would hold a meeting to discuss the draft law allocating 56 parliamentary seats for women. He added: "I personally have no objection if this is a temporary measure to solve the problems created by the NDP due to its tyranny and rigging elections. Granting women parliamentary seats is, in fact, a discrimination against men, but it is a positive discrimination."
