The period for submitting candidacy applications for this month's parliamentary elections began on Wednesday amid stepped-up security measures in governorates across Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood (MB) opposition group submitted applications for 54 male and six female candidates in 15 different governorates, in addition to several "alternate" candidates in case initial candidates are arrested by security forces. The first clash between MB members and security services was reported in the Gharbiya governorate, with 5,000 members of the group holding demonstrations to protest the Interior Ministry's rejection of numerous candidacy applications. “Only two of our applications were accepted,” complained MB member Hamza Sabry. In Giza, meanwhile, only 13 out of the MB's 73 applications were accepted. Police also clashed with MB members in Fayoum as the latter attempted to film the application process. In related news, a number of candidates affiliated with the ruling National Democratic Party unexpectedly applied as independent nominees, which some observers saw as a sign of internecine party discord. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
