Egypt's political powers reshuffle priorities

The maze of banners fluttering over the tents pitched in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday signalled a coming-together in the divergent agendas of Egypt's political powers. "The Revolution First - We Want Serious Changes," the banners read, as thousands gathered in the square where earlier this year the demonstrations which toppled former president Hosny Mubarak where staged and which on Friday was once again the venue for a mass protest.
After months of wrangling over what priorities should be in an Egypt after Mubarak's ouster, political groupings and activists, including the influential Muslim Brotherhood banned under Mubarak, gathered to voice support for "the revolution's demands."
Demonstrators want Mubarak and officials involved in a deadly crackdown on protesters during the revolt against his rule to be tried quickly and in public. They are also pushing for the "purge" of state institutions, mainly the police, of those loyal to Mubarak.
Some protesters have vowed to go on an open-ended strike in Tahrir until their demands are met. Seizing on what it says is a fresh revolutionary spirit, the April 6 Movement, one of the organisers of Friday's protests, has also planned a reconciliation meeting between representatives of various political groups. In a sign of rapprochement, all groups on Friday avoided chanting slogans, which would emphasise the differences between them. "The situation augurs well for reunification, especially after the participation of Islamists (in the protests)," said Mohamed Adel, an April 6 member.
But this "reunification" is temporary, according to one analyst. "Each side still has its agenda," said Emad Gad, an expert at Al Ahram Centre for Political Studies in Cairo. "All that's happened is that each side has decided to put its own priorities on the back burner for the time being and give the priority to the revolutionary demands on which ordinary Egyptians agree," Gad said.
"The Muslim Brotherhood decided to join the protests at the last minute so as not to lose the limelight," he added. On Wednesday, the group had reversed its decision to stay away from the protests, dubbed the "Friday of Purge and Retribution."
"Our decision to participate in the protests is aimed at unifying Egyptians in order to fulfil the revolution's goals," said Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badei. "We share the demands of other participants and our participation will ensure a swift fulfilment of them," said Omar Derag, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood's newly established Freedom and Justice Party.
Over the past three months, liberals and new political parties, created after Mubarak's toppling, have demanded the postponement of parliamentary elections set for September. They say a lack of security in Egypt makes September too early to hold the elections. They want a new constitution to be drafted first.
But the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's most well-organised political force, has insisted on holding the vote as scheduled. Delaying the poll would mean disregarding the results of a referendum held in March, in which more than 70 per cent of voters approved constitutional changes, including setting parliamentary elections for September.