CAIRO: The Muslim Brotherhood (MB) released its electoral list for the Lawyers Syndicate elections on Saturday without, however, announcing their nominee for the chairman's position. Mohamed Toson, official MB spokesperson at the Lawyers Syndicate, denied at a press conference rumors of an internal conflict regarding the candidate for syndicate chairman. The MB is still negotiating the matter and will announce the candidate after the application deadline, he added. However, local news cited sources inside the MB as saying that the group will probably not present a candidate for chairman since it is regarded by the government as a sensitive position. Nominating an MB member to head the Lawyer's Syndicate could be seen as a provocative move and may offset a series of clashes with security forces. The group's electoral list of 13 candidates isn't exclusive to MB members; rather, the list is comprised of nominees from different political streams. According to Toson, it is a "national electoral list based on the group's intention to be represented in the syndicate rather than have the majority. The list includes Mahmoud El Saqqa, member of Al Wafd party, leftist Mohamed El Damaty, Coptic lawyer Adel Ramzy Hanna, Mamdouh Ismail from the Islamist organization, as well as independents. "We want to redeem the syndicate from what has happened to it, said El Saqqa at the conference, referring to incumbent syndicate head Sameh Ashour, who El Saqqa said has impeded the process of change members sought at the syndicate. Ashour, who will be running for a third term, said his electoral list includes representatives of all political streams, except for the Brotherhood. "The MB's only objective is to gain control of the syndicate, he told independent newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm. MB lawyer Abdel-Moneim Abdel-Maqsoud previously told Daily News Egypt that the syndicate is "a union for all Egyptian lawyers in the event of their victory in the elections. He added that he hopes the efforts exerted for this election benefit the union and its lawyers. The Lawyers Syndicate elections are scheduled to take place on Oct. 10.
