Rafiq Habib: Absence of Rules that Promotes Fair Election Process Triggered MB to Boycott

Rafiq Habib: Absence of Rules that Promotes Fair Election Process Triggered MB to Boycott

 Rafiq Habib, prominent Coptic Christian expert on Islamist movements, said the Brotherhood’s decision to boycott the run-off elections scheduled to be held on December 5, was a patriotic decision made at the appropriate time, especially after the government missed the last chance to hold free and fair elections.

Habib stated: “The Brotherhood’s decision to boycott the run-off has officially revealed the fact that the legislative polls were marred by violence and large-scale fraud. The Muslim Brotherhood has succeeded in performing their primary task to positively interact with people insisting on participation”.

Habib went on to say: “The Muslim Brotherhood gave priority to the people’s interests especially when their chance to obtain seats in the run-off is probably more than any other party in Egypt. They were in the run-off with 27 seats. “

Habib stressed that the Muslim Brotherhood’s boycotting of the run-off in the parliamentary elections has curtailed the entire electoral process.

The Brotherhood decided yesterday to boycott the run-off of the People’s Assembly election scheduled for next Sunday, and to withdraw all its 27 candidates who were expected to contest including candidates for the women’s quota.

Habib asserted that the decision to boycott came after the majority of 72% of the group’s Shura Council voted in favour of boycotting the runoff, protesting incidents which took place in the first round of the elections.