Press Release
The Electoral Research and Studies Unit at the Forum for Development and Human Rights Dialogue Foundation released today, Wednesday, a study entitled “The Social Structure of Senate Candidates, an Analytical Reading of the Candidates’ Jobs 2020”.
Initially, the study clarified the importance of knowing the professional and functional composition of the candidates for Senate membership, as it contributes to identifying their previous experiences and the extent of their impact on their parliamentary work on the one hand, and also contributes to anticipating their potential directions and positions, which issues and topics are presented to the Council.
The study indicated that the qualitative and categorical analysis of the composition of the candidates for membership of the Senate showed the extent of societal openness and interest in the new council from all sects and groups of society, which was reflected in the composition of their job professions. The composition is the most expressive of societal forces and allows a diversity of programs and demands that cover sectoral needs in a very ideal way.
The study showed that the most prominent and most nominated job categories for membership in the Senate were the (law) profession clearly topped by the number of (124) candidates representing (15.8%) of the total candidates, in a context revealing the extent of the sense of need for parliamentary cadres with a legal background who are skilled in drafting legislation and dealing with its goals and objectives, and behind the legal profession, (university professors and academics) came as an expression of the need for cadres with experiences and knowledge that would enable them to manage a level of dialogue and exchange of views commensurate with the nature of the tasks and competencies guaranteed by the constitution to the Senate, where it was nominated for membership in the Council (74) candidates representing (9.4%) of the total candidates, and equally with university professors, came (the education sector), which witnessed the nomination of (74) candidates, with a percentage of (9.4%) of the total candidates.
The study also indicated that the numerical census showed the intensity of a number of professions whose functional nature may contradict the requirements of full-time parliamentary work to compete for membership of the Council with a sense that its nature supports their chances of access to its seats, starting with the employees in the state’s administrative apparatus (employees) whose number reached ( 42 candidates with a percentage of (5.4%), followed by engineers with (39) candidates with (4.9%) and doctors with (31) candidates with (3.9%) of the total candidates.
With regard to the businessmen sector, 104 candidates representing (13.2%) of the total candidates were nominated, led by company owners (37) candidates, then chairmen of boards of directors (24) candidates, and entrepreneurship (20) candidates, and company managers (15) candidates. With members of the board of directors and managing directors (4) candidates for each category.
The study also pay attention to the candidacy of police and armed forces men that 51 candidates, representing 6.5% of the total candidates, applied for candidacy in the Senate elections, and they are distributed between policemen (29) candidates and armed forces men (22) candidates. The rules and regulations for candidacy do not allow a number of societal sectors (including the armed forces and the police) to run for office unless they have submitted a proof of their resignation from their jobs in advance.
The study also pay attention to the fact that there are a number of professions for which only (single) candidates applied for each profession, according to the attributes established in the candidacy applications submitted to the Judicial Committee, totaling 13 professions.
The study issued by the Electoral Research and Studies Unit indicated that the legal profession came as the most prevalent profession among candidates in all governorates, where the profession appeared in (25) governorates with a percentage of (92.6%) from the whole country, which is understandable in light of the high number of candidates from employers ( 124 candidates, followed by the teaching profession in general, which spread in (22) governorates with a percentage of (81.5%) and a total number of (74) candidates, then those who practice research and academic activity with the same number of candidates, albeit with a lower geographical spread, which amounted to (20) governorates with a percentage of (74.1%) of the geographical area.
With regard to the occupational distribution of the candidates of the Future of the Watan Party, the study showed that they were distributed among (25) professions, with a number indicating the extent of the party’s spread in wide societal sectors.
As for women’s nominations, the study showed that the analysis of women’s nominations at the level of professions and jobs shows the extent of competence and maturity possessed by the female elements that applied to compete for membership in the Senate, as they were distributed among (26) professions representing (47.3%) of the total professions that were nominated. The base of candidates came in the forefront of those with academic backgrounds, with 19 female candidates representing (20.4%) of the total female candidates, in a clear indicator of competence and audacity to compete with elements capable of persuading voters.
