26/03/2015
Under the framework of the Masar Citizenship project, implemented by the Egyptian Centre for Public Opinion Research (Baseera), financed by the AECID and with the collaboration of the FIIAPP.
Investigador egipcio presentando los resultados de su encuesta nacional.Egyptian researcher presenting the results of his national survey.
At the meeting, held at the headquarters of the Spanish International Cooperation Agency (AECID) in Madrid on 24th March, one of the young Egyptian researchers, Masar Fellows, supported by the Masar Citizenship project presented the results of his research on Political Participation in Egypt: Perceptions and Practice. This was based on a national public opinion survey conducted in November 2014, the results of which were analyzed by gender, economic and educational levels, among other variables.
Among the survey results, popular support for participatory activities characterized as ‘formal’ (elections, referendums, political parties, etc.) was notable compared to ‘informal’ ones (demonstrations, civil disobedience, violent acts, etc.) Also notable was that 75% of the population supports an inclusive political process and the right of all Egyptians to participate, regardless of political affiliation, gender or religion.
The Masar Citizenship project is one of the working lines of the Masar Programme, the regional Spanish cooperation initiative created in response to the Arab Spring. It is defined as a “programme to support democratic governance processes in the Middle East and North Africa”. The main objectives of Masar Citizenship are to strengthen the role of civil society in Egypt and support the development of mature and tolerant public opinion that can promote political pluralism.
The presentation of the research results was held within the framework of the Working Group on Egypt, an initiative launched by the Madrid Office of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), whose objective it is to monitor and analyze the political transition process in Egypt. The event was hosted by Alberto Virella, AECID Director of Cooperation with Africa and Asia. Members of the academic community, researchers from European think tanks, members of the AECID technical team and members of the human rights community and various Spanish foundations also participated. The FIIAPP was represented by the coordinator of the Masar Citizenship project, Hélène Michou.
