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Islamist MPs took centre stage yesterday as Egypt’s parliament met for the first time since a popular uprising ousted Hosni Mubarak, electing one of their own as speaker of the assembly.
In their first act, the deputies in the Islamist-dominated lower house voted overhelmingly for Saad al-Katatni, a leading member of the powerful Muslim Brotherhood.
A year after the uprising, many Egyptians see the new parliament as the first sign of democratic rule, in sharp contrast to the previous legislature dominated by Mubarak’s party.
“We want to build a new Egypt, a constitutional, democratic and modern Egypt,” Katatni said in a speech after being sworn in.
“Democracy will be the source of our parliament’s power,” he added in remarks greeted with applause.
Egypt’s first free parliamentary elections, which were held in phases between November and early January, saw Islamists clinch nearly three-quarters of the seats.
Katatni, 59, has been serving as the secretary general of the Freedom and Justice Party, the political arm of the once-banned Muslim Brotherhood, which won 47% of seats in the first free elections since the revolt.
“We say to the Egyptian people and to the world that our revolution continues,” Katatni said to more applause.
Outside the People’s Assembly, hundreds of Islamist supporters greeted the MPs as they entered the parliament, in scenes unimaginable just a year ago when most Islamist movements were banned.
But the exact role of parliament remains unclear, with power remaining in the hands of the generals who took power from former president Mubarak.