News Coverage prepared for: The European Union delegation to Egypt . Disclaimer: “This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of authors of articles and under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of IPSOS or the European Union.” 1 . Thematic Headlines Domestic Scene Ganzouri: Security Is Our Top Priority Ministerial Cabinet Sit-In Continues El-Mulla: Armed Forces Budget Remains Autonomous Second Election Phase New Interior Minister Mubarak Still Alive Egyptian Bloc and FJP Go Head To Head in Giza Al-Khodairy: Voters’ Choice Must Be Respected FJP’s Deputy Chairman in the Elections FJP in the Elections Luxor Candidate Says Vote Count Was Rigged Bakri Responds To Forgery Accusations Moussa: A Presidential Regime Is Better FJP Withdraws From SCAF’s Advisory Council Lawsuit to Enable Alaa Abd El-Fattah to Vote SCAF meets political forces to discuss advisory council New Alliance between Liberal Parties Islamic Parties Get Ready For the Second Phase Mubarak’s Personal Secretary Jailed on Illicit Gain Charges Democratic Alliance Nominates Candidate to Head Parliament Expat Voting For the Second Phase Starts Tourism Demonstration Election Updates in Gomhoria El-Essawi: No One Died In Mohamed Mahmoud Presidential Candidates Comment on Islamists Rise in the Elections Election Updates in Dostour Ashour and El-Awa Meet To Help SCAF Wasat Plans on Winning More Seats Election Updates in Al-Tahrir Protestors Disagree Over the Fate of Sit-in Maspero Events Investigations Pope Shenouda Congratulates El-Ganzouri Al-Nour Participates In Advisory Council NHRC: Parliamentary Elections Are Sectarian 2 Abd El-Moez: Second phase Starts on December 14th Regional development Washington: We No Longer Export Tear Gas to Egypt FJP: No Talks with US Regarding Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty Editorials and commentaries 3 Newspapers (9/12/2011) Pages: 1, 10 Authors: Essam Abd El-Kerim, Essam El-Meligy , (and others) Ganzouri: Security Is Our Top Priority Egyptian Prime Minister Kamal el-Ganzouri held his first cabinet meeting, in which he discussed the government’s plans for securing the coming election phases. He also said that no action could be taken without security. He plans on restoring security to the Egyptian streets to confront criminals and outlaws. “Violence, verbal or physical will not be used against protesters and no tear gas will be shot,” added Kamal El-Ganzouri. Similar news was reported in Tahrir page 1+ Ganzouri announced that he has started his negotiations with the different political forces to break the ministerial cabinet sit-in. However, he believes protestors’ demands are “unreasonable” after political forces stated their only demand is for his government to resign. Similar news was reported in El-Masry El-Youm (p. 3,6), Gomhoria (p.3), Dostour (p.1), Yom7 (p.1) and Akhbar (p.3) 4 Page: 1, 42 Author: Khaled Ahmed El-Mataany Grand Mufti: Choosing a President Is a Huge Responsibility Ali Gomaa, Egypt’s Grand Mufti sat down with Al-Ahram for an interview, he said: The Egyptian people now face the historical responsibility of choosing the upcoming president. The country’s best interest comes before all political currents or parties. Our stance on bequeathing power to Gamal Mubarak and exporting gas to Israel is a real proof that we were neutral in our approach. 5 Page: 1 Author: Mohamed Sharaby Ministerial Cabinet Sit-In Continues Protestors in Tahrir moved their sit-in to the ministerial cabinet headquarters in Kasr El- Einy Street. They warned against any attempt to use violence in dispersing their sit-in. Representatives of political forces inside the sit-in stated vowed to continue their sit-in until El-Ganzouri’s government leaves. They consider their sit-in a statement against Kamal El-Ganzouri’s government and his interior Minister, Mohamed Ibrahim. Protestors threatened to escalate if their demands are not met. Similar news was reported in Masry youm page 4, 6 + the sit-in prevented PM Kamal El- Ganzouri from entering his office. He was forced to hold his meetings in The Ministry of Planning in Nasr City Similar news was reported in Gomhoria+ protestors called for a million-man demonstration calling it “We persevere” to rally people against Ganzouri’s government and proving they will stick to their demands. Similar news was reported in Gomhoria (p.5), Yom7 (p.4). 6 Page: 1, 7 Author: Mamdouh Shaaban El-Mulla: Armed Forces Budget Remains Autonomous Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) member Major General Mokhtar El-Mulla asserted that the budget of the Armed Forces will remain autonomous from parliamentary oversight. El-Mulla said that the People’s Assembly will not fully represent the Egyptian people. Thus, the new parliament will appoint 100 members for the Constituent Assembly that will draft a fresh constitution. Assembly members must also be approved by the interim cabinet and the newly created “Advisory Council.” The civilian Advisory Council is designed to set the criteria for choosing Constituent Assembly members. Similar news was reported in El-Masry El-Youm (p.1,5), Gomhoria (p.10), Dostour (p. 3), Tahrir (p.1, 3), Shorouk (p.1), Akhbar (p.10) 7 Page: 1 Author: Ali Mohamed Ali Second Election Phase The HJEC has started its preparations for the second phase of the elections. The commission has decided to increase the number of judges supervising the elections and reconsider the locations of polling stations. Egyptian embassies and consulates abroad started receiving the ballot papers of 105,000 expatriates who have the right to vote in the second election phase. 8 Pages: 1, 5 Authors: Essam Abd El-Kerim, Essam El-Meligy New Interior Minister Egypt’s new Interior Minister, Mohamed Ibrahim, on Thursday pledged not to use violence or tear gas to disperse sit-ins or demonstrations, confirming that the police’s main role is to provide security for citizens. Ibrahim confirmed that he would work to restore security by increasing the presence of security personnel. In a meeting with his aides, Ibrahim affirmed the importance of discussions with protesters in Tahrir Square to find solutions to their problems. Similar news was reported in El-Masry El-Youm (p.3, 6), Dostour (p.3), Tahrir (p.3), Akhbar (p.3) 9 Page: 3 Author: Hossam Zayed Mubarak Still Alive Suzan Mubarak and her two daughters in law; Khadiga and Haidy, paid Gamal and Alaa Mubarak a visit in Tora prison. A source in the International Medical Centre where deposed president Hosni Mubarak is detained has denied rumors spreading Thursday that Mubarak was dead. Similar news was reported in Gomhoria (p.3), Dostour (p.1), Yom7 (p. 1). 10 Page: 4 Author: Sameh Lasheen Egyptian Bloc and FJP Go Head To Head in Giza In their preparations for the second phase of the parliamentary elections, the Egyptian Bloc and the Islamic currents in Giza; FJP and Salafi parties, started organizing conferences in the area as part of their publicity campaign. 11 Page: 4 Author: Ramy Yassein Al-Khodairy: Voters’ Choice Must Be Respected Former president of the Alexandria Judges Club, Mahmoud Al-Khodairy, who won the brackets seat of Alexandria's second district, maintained that the winning party does not have the right to form the government according to the constitutional declaration. Commenting on the domination of the Islamic currents on election results so far, he said “this is the people’s choice which must be respected, adding, our country will never be anything but a civilian state.” Similar news was reported in Akhbar (p.6) 12 Page: 4 Author: Aboud Maher FJP’s Deputy Chairman in the Elections Dr. Essam El-Erian, Deputy Chairman of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), heads the party’s list in South Giza’s constituency. He faces a fierce competition with the Egyptian Bloc and Al-Nour Salafi Party. 13 Page: 4 Author: Amany Maged FJP in the Elections One hundred and twelve FJP candidates are competing in the second phase of the parliamentary elections. FJP has 48 candidates competing over individual seats in all 9 second-phase governorates. 14 Page: 6 Author: Rania Abd El-Aty Luxor Candidate Says Vote Count Was Rigged Abd El-Moez Ibrahim, HEC head, referred a contestation filed by an independent bracket candidate; (Abd El-Razeq Zant), to the administrative court. Zant claims that the vote count was rigged. The court has set December 16th to examine the contestation. 15 Page: 6 Author: Ibrahim Omran Bakri Responds To Forgery Accusations Mostafa Bakri testified yesterday before the Cairo’s prosecutor to defend himself against an accusation claiming that he forged the elections. His accuser presented a report from the HEC’s website with the vote count showing that Bakri lost. Bakri denied all accusations saying the HEC does not post results on its website calling the report a defamation attempt. 16 Page: 7 Author: Gamal Abu El-Dahab Moussa: A Presidential Regime Is Better In a public conference, presidential hopeful, Amr Moussa urged all political forces to respect election results. He maintained that a presidential regime is more suitable to run the country now than a parliamentary regime, especially after limiting a president’s authorities. As part of his publicity campaign, Amr Moussa carried a tour in Ain Shams where he prayed in a mosque, delivered a speech in a church and visited an association for the deaf- mute there. Similar news was reported in Dostour page 3+ “It is still too early to say that Islamists have won the elections,” adding, he will not pardon Mubarak if elected. Similar news was reported in El-Masry El-Youm (p.4), Yom7 (p.3), Akhbar (p.8,10).