Sunday , July 5 , 2020
In conjunction with the scheduling of the next Senate elections set by the Supreme Electoral Commission on August 11 and 12, The Forum for Development and Human Right Dialogue on Sunday released a study on the upcoming Senate elections entitled “Senate Elections 2020, a fertile environment and unconventional propaganda.”
The study addressed several important themes in the upcoming Senate elections:
Rebirth
The study showed that the existence of a second legislative chamber was not new to political life, the Shura Council in Egypt grew up within the constitutional amendments of 1980, but the influence of the Council from a legislative point of view was not present and its reports and recommendations did not take its luck from implementation because it is not binding
The study indicated that the articles governing the Senate law were granted new and unprecedented powers, such as the amendment of one or more articles of the Constitution, reconciliation and coalition treaties, all treaties affecting state sovereignty, as well as bills and bills complementary to the Constitution, as well as other terms of reference.
Special importance
The study also showed that the upcoming Senate elections are particularly important as political life has revealed the existence of a second chamber of the legislature, which is important for several considerations, including the importance of the Senate in being an environment that fosters expertise, which contributes to the benefit of the State, and the existence of a second legislative chamber prevents the arbitrariness and tyranny of the legislature, as well as the easing of disagreement between the legislative and executive branch, and the inspiration of international experiences and the enrichment of the legislative process.
A different environment
The study also indicated that the environment for the new Senate elections is witnessing a clear change in legal, constitutional, political, and social frameworks. As for the changes in the political and social framework, they have contributed to the movement of stagnant water in Egyptian political life and reduced the effects of negative phenomena such as nervousness and capital, but these variables need to be developed to support and cooperate to reach more powerful and effective results. For example, the growth of an effective civil society that cannot end when civil society plays a role in monitoring elections has another duty to raise awareness of what these elections are and to play a greater role in spreading comparisons between party platforms, currents, and intellectual and political movements on various issues.
Electoral propaganda and the Corona pandemic
The study showed that these elections seem exceptional, as they coincide with the outbreak of the Corona epidemic, which imposes restrictions on traditional electoral propaganda, in exchange for allowing for electronic advertising, and despite their priorities, there is difficulty in reaching poor and illiterate communities.
It is worth mentioning that the Supreme Electoral Commission in the light of this pandemic has established several rules on the protection of voters and citizens during the process of advertising and voting during the process of elections of the Senate.
