CAIRO: After the Lawyers' Syndicate opened the door for nominations in its general elections last week, controversy resurfaced as the syndicate faces setbacks in the legal framework governing the elections. Ali Kamal, former member of the syndicate's high board, explained that the elections' charter overlooked key factors which could create problems. The charter, he said, was vague about the final results of the election in case some candidates on the electoral list receive the minimum number of votes required to win, while others on the same list fail to secure this minimum number. The elections charter also failed to specify the consequences should the voter turnout be less than the minimum amount required for some positions. On a talk show that aired on OTV satellite channel Thursday, incumbent chairman of the Lawyers' Syndicate Sameh Ashour denied any affiliation with the National Democratic Party (NDP) and said he was determined to win the elections without the Muslim Brotherhood's votes. Independent MP Talaat El-Sadat phoned in during the show, criticizing Ashour's achievements - or lack thereof - during his tenure. Ashour brushed off El-Sadat's comments, insisting that he is the best candidate for the position. During a press conference at the syndicate last Monday, Ashour said that the Lawyers' Syndicate should maintain its position as an independent authority that represents the "majority of lawyers with their different political affiliations and ideologies. Ashour said he opposed the idea of the syndicate becoming a hub for political and religious trends, dissociating himself from political groups, namely the Muslim Brotherhood. Twelve lawyers are currently running for the syndicate's chairman position; the most prominent of which are Ashour and Ragai Attiya. The new deadline for nominations is April 19 and the elections will be held on May 23 after being postponed three times since October 2008.
