Candidate withdraws from Egypt’s union elections

Committees supervising upcoming elections to Egypt’s Journalism Union have reported receiving a request from Hisham Bassiouni to withdraw his candidacy to the union’s chief board. Elections will contest the union’s top-spot as well as six seats on its board of governors. Bassiouni, head of Arab affairs at Egypt’s Gmohouria newspaper, was running for a board seat. Bassiouni said the decision to withdraw followed a lack of time allowing him to publicise himself adequately. The union’s Election Commission has received 51 applications for board positions and five other requests for chairman. The final names of candidates are expected to be announced within hours, while requests for appeals and concessions will be closed on Tuesday.