The midterm election of Egypt’s Press Syndicate over the president and six seats in the syndicate’s board council was postponed to 15 March due to incompletion of the quorum last Friday, according to the committee supervising the election, headed by Gamal Abdel Rahim.
A general assembly was held in the presence of 716 journalists but was not enough to hold the election.
At least 4,312 member journalists out of total 8,624 members are requested to register their attendance in the general assembly, according to Abdel Rahim. The election could be postponed for another two weeks, in case if the quorum did not complete on 15 March.
According to the syndicate’s bylaws, a quorum of 50% + 1 of all general assembly members is required for the elections to go ahead.
The vicinity of Press Syndicate witnessed a high security presence, while weak turnout by journalists. Chocolates, juices, and soft drinks were distributed to journalists as part of the candidates’ electoral campaigns. Electoral campaigns of candidates were intensified a few days before the midterm election.
Eleven candidates are competing to lead the Press Syndicate, the largest number of nominees in the history of the syndicate, and fifty–one candidates are competing over six seats in the syndicate’s council.
The Head of State Information Service (SIS), Diaa Rashwan, is running for the syndicate’s president after his previous term in 2013. The current President of the Press Syndicate, Abdel Mohsen Salama, will not compete for a second term.
Most of the candidates running for the council’s membership are from state-owned newspapers, with 11 from Al-Akhbar and Akhbar Al-Youm newspapers, seven from Al-Ahram newspaper, four from Al-Gomhouriya newspaper, and three from the Middle East News Agency (MENA).
