authoritarian elections in coordination with the domestic security apparatus. Al-Gabha is, thus far, no more than an umbrella for public figures allied with a different security body, one with less experience in fielding candidates & managing the theatrics and aesthetics of authoritarian elections.”

dominance of their share of seats in the state-sponsored party list).

This could be partly attributed to the fact that Mustaqbal Watan is still the primary hub for the political networks of the Mubarak regime--a political class with a long experience in contesting

business mogul Ibrahim Al-Organy. Speculations had been circulating about the possibility that it would replace Mustaqbal Watan as the regime's primary political arm. We find, however, that Mustaqbal Watan remains the largest party in this coalition (as reflected by the continued