Brotherhood's weakening social base exposed in student union elections throughout Egypt
Results of the student union elections across Egypt's universities last week marked a smashing defeat for the Muslim Brotherhood across the country.
It is resounding proof of the dramatic change taking place throughout Egypt, observed the columnist Abdulhalim Qandil in the pan-Arab newspaper Al Quds Al Arabi.
The Muslim Brotherhood's results were dismal at best compared to the striking success of independent candidates, the popular movement, Al Dustour, and radical political groups.
Public universities in rural areas of the country proved noticeably antagonistic to the Muslim Brotherhood, which enjoyed considerable success in such areas in the past.
"There was nothing usual about the student electoral battle this time around. It took place in tempestuous political circumstances amid public outrage and successive waves of outrage against the Brotherhood's authority and dwindling popular confidence in them," the writer remarked.
Student union elections revealed a sustained rise in political awareness, especially among youth.
"The youth are the sensitive nerve reflecting a nation's level of awareness. They are the category that represents the highest point on the social mood fluctuation curve - the mood that swept away the Brotherhood despite the organisation's increased financial and moral power," he added.
For a long time, the organisation controlled Egypt's university campuses. Their rise seemed symbiotic with the antirevolutionary narrative in the country since the time of the former president Anwar Al Sadat, who revolted against Abdul Nasser's choices and revolution following the 1973 war. Al Sadat empowered the Brotherhood in universities and gave them free rein to help him push out leftist and Nasser-affiliated student groups, and eventually kill the revolutionary spirit that prevailed at the time.
Ultimately, Al Sadat was assassinated by the same beast he unleashed, but Islamist groups, mainly the Brotherhood, continued to control university student unions. Brotherhood leaders graduated one after another and went on to monopolise power in professional syndicates and teaching committees.
"It seemed at one point that the country's universities were under the sole control of the Muslim Brotherhood and that the middle class had completely fallen under their authority. It was the time of an all-encompassing 'brotherhoodisation'," the writer noted.
With the new-found freedom of organisation and movement in Egypt, a significant increase can be noticed in independent movements as new generations are joining the revolution.
The fear barrier has collapsed. It won't be long before they remove the Brotherhood completely from the scene.
Woman as boss for a day has no meaning
Many managers of government institutions in the UAE were relieved that the International Women's Day this year coincided with a weekend, remarked Ahmed Hasan Al Zaabi in an article in the Dubai-based newspaper Al Emarat Al Youm.
Every year, government administrations would normally appoint female colleagues as managers on Women's Day.
This year, the event came on Saturday - a weekly holiday in all Arab states - and so it "saved managers the trouble of leaving their chairs". The next day, women had already forgotten about that particular day, the writer said.
"Personally, I am against this new tradition; in fact, I feel that appointing women as bosses of the institutions [where they work], is a discrimination against women themselves … and an insult to their potentials," he wrote.
There in no point in honouring women for a single day when they really have no powers, he continued.
What's the point of having a female colleague in a director's chair if she has no authority to sign, approve or represent the institution?
What is the point in her sitting at the desk of responsibility from early in the morning, while the actual boss shows up only in the afternoon?, the writer asked.
Why no Palestinian at Chavez's funeral?
The absence of any official Palestinian representative from the funeral of Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan president who succumbed to cancer last Tuesday, was unjustifiable, observed Rasheed Hassan, a contributing columnist with the Jordanian daily Addustour.
Chavez was a staunch supporter of the Palestinian people's right to resist occupation and establish their independent state. He condemned Israeli attacks on Palestinian territories, and courageously severed ties with Israel.
"Palestine is a cause of struggle based on principles of liberty, justice and equality. It is the right of a people to free their country and return to their homeland. Hence, the Palestinian leadership should have demonstrated its gratitude to Chavez by taking part in his funeral," he said.
Many disagree with Chavez's socialist approach, but everyone agrees that he was a true leader, who awakened the peoples of Latin America.
He was a popular leader who dedicated his life to saving his impoverished people and who was able to return Venezuela's oil wealth to the people.
The Palestinian authorities would have been advised to show the man due respect and prove to the world that Palestinians do not forget their loyal supporters, suggested the writer.
* Digest compiled by The Translation Desk