EGYPT - Democratic Dictatorship Wears A Suit

[dipsydoodle]

It applies when the ruling power in a state allows elections, opposition parties, and a 'free' media, whilst simultaneously manipulating the system to ensure it maintains control.

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The laws are very similar to those of the Mubarak era. One third of the parliament will be reserved for individual candidates, not parties. This might sound democratic, but will favour the wealthy and established candidates who used to be in the ruling NDP party which was closed down after February's coup d'état. They will win a large number of seats due to their connection, their ability to spread money around, and they will remain close to the military.

The other two thirds of seats will go to parties under a complicated proportional representation system.
This is heavily biased towards the larger parties which in Egypt now means the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, and the long established Wafd Party.

The smaller and newer liberal parties are likely to be squeezed out. If I'm right then the projection for the vote would result in a parliament dominated by the former NDP loyalists, the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and the Wafd.

http://blogs.news.sky.com/foreignmatters/Post:bd643767-dbc7-4579-9b4e-47f0d91352d1

Very difficult to do a precis on a quite extensive blog article. Please read all of it.