Saad El-Katatny Freedom and Justice Member State of the African Union Member State of the Arab League Parliamentary elections were held in Egypt from 28 November 2011 to 11 January 2012,[1] following the revolution that ousted President Hosni Mubarak, after which the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) dissolved Parliament.

Originally, the elections had been scheduled to be held in September 2011, but were postponed amid concerns that established parties would gain undue advantage.

[4] Following similar events in Tunisia during the Arab Spring, Egyptian activists called for protesters to turn up in cities around Egypt on specific days.

Though violence was reported at some points, protests were largely peaceful with the army staying quiet until 10 February 2011, when calls for Hosni Mubarak to resign were at their peak.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, headed by Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, would lead the country for a transitional period until a civilian government took over.

[12][13] After a meeting with political party leaders on 1 October 2011, the SCAF agreed to allow party members to run for the directly elected seats, set a clearer timetable for the transition to civilian rule and possibly abolish military trials for civilians.

[14][15] On 11 November 2011, an administrative court in Mansoura ruled that former NDP members were not allowed to stand in the election as independent candidates.

[16] On 14 November 2011, the Higher Administrative Court in Cairo overruled the decision and allowed the former NDP members to stand.

For these seats the public voted for parties or coalition-lists and the result was determined by the largest remainder method with a 0.5 percent threshold, in 46 districts.

[22] Additional requirements for parties include listing at least one woman and adopting a specific visual symbol, as an alternative detection to help the illiterate voters.

Its main objective was to prevent an imminent electoral victory of the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Freedom and Justice Party.

[31] The New Wafd later decided to abandon its alliance with the Islamists over discrepancies concerning the prospective constitution, and considered joining the new Egyptian Bloc liberal coalition instead.

Some analysts voiced concerns that former members of the ruling NDP might gain a lot of influence in the newly elected parliament.

Among the parties identified to have had a strong base in former NDP members were:[37][38] The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces announced that it would bar foreign monitors because of what it claimed was the preservation of Egyptian sovereignty.

Alongside 300 foreign civil society representatives there are 25,000 accredited monitors and a lot more concerned citizens who have pledged to alert the organizers regarding any abuses they encounter.

[42] Additionally, many Egyptians have turned to citizen monitoring through social media such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, uploading cited violations or turnouts.

international channels as well as leaks from people involved in the count, that the Freedom and Justice Party, led by the Muslim Brotherhood, was expected to receive around 40% of the vote and al-Nour would get between 15–30 percent.

The Election Commission announced the participation of 62% of eligible voters, "the highest number since the days of Pharaoh".

[53] Unofficial results are italicised: Notes: 1Freedom and Justice list includes candidates from the parties of the Democratic Alliance for Egypt.

A day after polls closed during the second phase of election to the lower house, clashes broke out again in front of the parliament and cabinet building in Cairo between security forces and several hundred demonstrators.

[87] The commander of the military police was quoted as saying that the ruling military council was not taking sides during the second phase of the election to the lower house and "stands at an equal distance" from all the political groups contesting the elections: "The army has no interest to be served by siding with liberals or the Brotherhood or leftists or others.

[90] On 14 June 2012, the Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt ruled that the election was unconstitutional, and one third of the winners were illegitimate.

[91] As a result, the court concluded, the election law had allowed political parties to compete for seats intended for independent candidates.

[91] In a separate ruling issued at the same time, the court threw out the Political Exclusion Law, which banned former members of President Hosni Mubarak's regime from running for office.

[93] The dissolution of parliament creates the possibility of the panel to be tasked with writing a new constitution being appointed by the military.

[91] In contrast, Ahmed Shafiq, who served as Prime Minister under Mubarak, called the ruling a "historic ... verdict that meant there was no way for anyone to do particular laws for particular people".

Mohammed Morsi, sworn as Egypt's new president on 30 June, has initially refrained from speaking publicly on that (crucial to the extent of his own real power) issue.

In his inauguration speech on 30 June, however, he gave an indication of his future efforts, calling the parliamentary election "free and fair".

[citation needed] Within days of Morsi's inauguration, according to his spokesman, the President is actively searching for ways of restoring the parliament and obtaining a release of non-criminal political detainees.