The liberal Wafd Party officially has confirmed five of its candidates intend to participate in today's parliamentary election run-offs, in defiance of the party decision to boycott the polls. According to Margerit Azer, head of Wafd's election operation office, nominees that will continue their bids include Tarek al-Sebae, Rami Lakkah, Atef al-Ashmouni, Mohamed al-Malky and Magda al-Noweishi. Four of these candidates are running in Cairo districts while one is vying for a seat in Ismailia Governorate. “On Wednesday, the party supreme body will convene to look into their cases,” Azer told Al-Masry Al-Youm. According to Azer, only Fouad Badrawi and Mohamed Sherdy, two of the party's eight candidates slated to participate in run-off elections, confirmed they will heed the party leadership decision to boycott. On Thursday, Wafd decided to boycott today's run-off in objection to electoral violations that marred the first round and allegedly secured the ruling National Democratic Party a sweeping majority. Only two out of nearly 200 Wafd candidates emerged victorious in last week's first round of the parliamentary race. “These candidates [participating in the run-off] are running the risk of getting dismissed by the party,” said Wafd Party assistant chairman Ali Al-Salmi. “This is a violation; they should have abided by the party decision. These people are seeking their personal interests regardless of the party's interests.” Wafd's decision came on the heels of a similar announcement by the Muslim Brotherhood, the nation's largest Islamist opposition. It announced a full boycott after emerging from the first round without a single seat.
