The Egyptian elections held last week had results that are
satisfactory on the whole. In a country at that stage of political education a Government in power has decided advantages. Zaghlul Pasha's party, the Wafd, lost about forty per cent. of their seats, chiefly in Upper Egypt, but they remain the largest party in the new Parliament, having 101 members out of 206. They received about half the votes cast, but will have no clear majority unless certain trimming " independents " should declare on that side, which is unlikely on account of an Egyptian Govern- ment's advantages. Zaghlul Pasha himself was elected by a large majority, but several of his colleagues in the last Ministry were defeated. Ahmed Pasha Ziwar remains Prime Minister and is Minister of Foreign Affairs. He has formed a Cabinet which contains the former Prime Minister, Yehia Pasha Ibrahim, and is a coalition repre- . senting all parties except the Zaghlulists and Nationalists. The British Declaration-of February, 1922, seems to have - been quoted with approval during the elections, and we - may hope that there is genuine good feeling towards this . country. But any coalition must have a hard fight against a really united party of nearly equal strength.
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