Diaa Rashwan elected press syndicate head

CAIRO - 16 March 12019: Diaa Rashwan was elected Chairman of the Syndicate of Journalists in the elections held on Friday.

Rashwan won 2,810 votes while his main rival Refaat Rashad scored 1,585, said the supervising committee.

As many as 4,588 voted in the polls, said the committee, adding that there were 235 invalid votes.

Egyptian press syndicate held on Friday its general assembly to elect its 22nd head and six members of the syndicate council after it finally reached the quorum of 50% of illegible voters.

Rashwan vowed to improve the financial conditions of journalists and increase their monthly technology allowance. He said Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli and Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait had already agreed to increase the allowance by 25 percent in July to reach LE 2, 100.

Rashwan also promised to increase pensions, currently set at LE 1,450, by 20 percent, and spoke about the possibility of videographers and journalists working for online news services to join the syndicate.

The Press Syndicate membership is currently restricted to journalists working in print media and the syndicate’s law would have to be changed to allow the membership base to broaden.

Rashwan’s campaign slogan is “To Strengthen Unity”. He said that under his leadership the syndicate will not brook religious or partisan divisions, and promised to work to cement solidarity and foster constructive dialogue on public issues.

Rashwan, who headed the syndicate from 2013 to 2015, dismissed rumors that he was the candidate of the government.