In light of widespread reports of electoral irregularities during Sunday's parliamentary elections--including fraud, bribery and intimidation and violence--Muslim Brotherhood (MB) General Guide Mohamed Badie has hinted the group may withdraw from run-off elections scheduled for Sunday. The MB, Badie said at a press conference on Tuesday at the group's Cairo headquarters, was "leaving all options open." The brotherhood failed to win a single parliamentary seat in Sunday's elections, although 26 of its candidates will compete in next week's run-offs. This comes in stark contrast to 2005 elections, in which the MB secured 88 seats--roughly one fifth--in the national assembly. Mohamed al-Beltagy, MB parliamentarian for the Shubra al-Kheima district--who will compete in the run-offs--said he would only participate if his delegates were allowed access to ballot boxes. “They didn't allow even one of my delegates in during Sunday's elections, even though they had all the necessary legal documentation," he said. "They expected me to personally oversee 289 ballot boxes, which is impossible.” Al-Beltagy showed copies of the official ballots that had been used for rigging, as well as half-burned ballots showing MB candidates ticked off, in what he called “a blatant attempt to discard votes for our nominees.” Despite having qualified for the run-offs, al-Beltagy has raised a lawsuit against the electoral process, which he described as “illegal.” Some 130 elections-related legal complaints have been lodged by the group until now. Most MB candidates recounted similar electoral violations to those attested to by a host of local and international human rights organizations on Election Day. Outgoing leader of the MB's parliamentary bloc Saad al-Katatny said that a majority of polling stations nationwide had witnessed what he called “soft or rough interference” by security forces, polling station officials and plainclothes thugs. “The results of these elections were decreed by fiat and do not reflect the will of the people,” said al-Katatny. “No tyrannical regime within the past 100 years has ever been overturned by elections,” said MB spokesman Essam al-Arian. He went on to explain that the group's continued political involvement aimed at achieving gradual reform. Despite the MB's pending decision on whether or not to participate in the run-offs, Badei stressed that the group would "remain on our peaceful course, committed to the safety and stability of the nation.” “We won't waste time mourning over what happened,” Badie said. “And we will continue our work for the country's benefit.” Since the 1970s, the MB has participated in Egypt's political process despite being banned as an official political party.
