CAIRO - Despite an alarming decline in the popularity of the Government of Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, eight ministers are grooming themselves to run in the forthcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled to take place in November this year. Only four ministers took part in the last parliamentary election. The ministerial nominees, who may possibly increase from eight to ten, are reportedly determined to battle the foes of the ruling party in the election at any expense. They refused to change their minds, even after allegedly being told that they would have to run on their own merits and not depend on the support of the Government or the ruling party, so that the official emphasis on 'fair elections and integrity' would not be discredited. The image of the Government has plunged to its lowest level in decades, after low-income and poor citizens had miserably given in to the soaring prices of basic commodities in the domestic market. The Government's foes came to include members of the upper classes and wealthy families, after the Ministry of Electricity decided to cut power randomly across Egypt's larger cities for an hour or two every day to ease the burden on Egypt's power grid. The situation in the opposition camp about whether or not to boycott the upcoming elections is unclear. The major opposition party, Al-Wafd, has made it clear that the government's fulfilment of certain demands would persuade the party to end its division over participation in these elections. Al-Wafd's new chair el-Sayed el-Badawi has demanded a package of political reforms before his party will change its mind about the call made by political activists and reform movements to boycott the elections. Al-Wafd's chair is now holding talks with different opposition parties and independent political activists in order to “come to the right decision about whether to take part or withdraw his party's candidates”. El-Badawi met with the chief of the banned Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed Badie. Emerging from the meeting, Al-Wafd's chair noted that his party was having a great influence on the 'political street' in Egypt. Along with other opposition parties, the Muslim Brotherhood is championing the campaign to boycott the upcoming elections Unlike several elections battles before, November's parliamentary elections are said to be very crucial. Observers note that these elections will take place ahead of the presidential elections in 2011, an election that will allegedly open a new chapter in Egypt's modern history. The Government's eight potential candidates thus far are Mofid Shehab, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs; Abdel-Salam el-Mahgoub, Minister of Local Development; Ali Mesilhi, Minister of Social Solidarity; Sayed Mashaal, Minister of Military Production; Mahmoud Mohie-Eddin, Minister of Investment; Mohamed Nasr Allam, Minister of Irrigation & Water Resources; and Youssef Botros Ghali, Minister of Finance. Finally, Fayeza Abu-Nagga, Minister of International Co-operation, is the latest minister in Ahmed Nazif's government to accept the gauntlet. Explaining his determination to gain a seat in the People's Assembly this time, Shehab, who is an MP in the Shura Council and had to withdraw his membership ahead of the November's elections, gave a plausible comment when he said: “Being a deputy in the Shura Council served the Government, and in my capacity as member of the People's Assembly, I will serve the interests of my country and my people.” Sheba predicted confidently a large voter turnout in the November elections this year, which could disappoint speculations by some opposition parties of low turnout.
