CAIRO - The second and third stages of the parliamentary elections have yet to be held, but Al-Nour, the political party of the Salafists, is already calling for five portfolios in the Ganzouri Government which is still in the making. After winning more than 20 per cent of the seats in the first stage of voting, the Salafists have started talking about their plans for the future and giving their opinion on personal and cultural liberties. The public, especially the liberals, are worried about the future of Egypt under Islamist rule. No-one can deny the influence of religion in the Egyptian polls, especially in the poor, illiterate regions. However, if enlightened citizens act quickly to confront the Salafists, the latter might lose a lot in the coming two stages of the elections. In the meantime, the liberal parties should decide how best to convey to the public their ideas and programmes for creating a civil, democratic state and not a religious one, oppressing minorities and causing sectarian sedition. The other important challenge facing Egypt with Islamist domination in Parliament is the absence of talk about economic and social development. Such development is vital at this critical stage, while the Salafists, who are extremists, want the Islamic Shari'a to be fully enforced. Most citizens in the nine governorates where voting was held last week were in buoyant mood as they headed to the ballot boxes, but voters in the second and third stages will head to the ballot boxes with the results of the first stage in mind. The Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists will be trying hard to consolidate the gains they made in the first stage, while the liberals and enlightened people must rally round the liberal parties so as to ensure a balance between the different powers in the coming Parliament. This means that the coming stages of the elections might not be as peaceful as the first stage, making life more difficult for the military and civil security forces.
