CAIRO — Egypt's president called multi-stage parliamentary elections beginning in April but a key opposition leader warned Friday that the vote may only inflame tensions unless there are serious political talks first. President Mohammed Morsi set the start of a staggered, four-stage voting process for April 27 ending in June. The newly elected parliament would convene on July 6, a decree issued late Thursday night said. Mohamed ElBaradei, who leads the main opposition National Salvation Front, wrote on his Twitter account Friday that Morsi's “decision to go for parliamentary elections amidst severe societal polarization and eroding state authority is a recipe for disaster.” The opposition accuses Morsi and the Brotherhood of monopolizing power and going back on campaign promises to set up an inclusive government and introduce far-reaching reforms. Morsi's supporters say the new government cannot immediately fix years of neglect and poor administration from ousted Hosni Mubarak's 29-year rule, and say they have the legitimacy of the ballot box in their favor. Tensions deepened with the second anniversary of the Jan. 25 uprising, when anger spilled out onto the streets and violence again engulfed the nation. About 70 people died in a wave of protests, clashes and riots that began with the anniversary and lasted for weeks. Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood group has already been setting the stage for elections through outreach programs, including helping poor families receive subsidized bread that is often hard to find. Among the most pressing issue for Egypt is its economy, which has been badly hit by the nation's turmoil with foreign currency reserves falling below a critical level to less than $14 billion. The country is in talks with the International Monetary Fund for a nearly $5 billion loan. Insiders say talks have been prolonged because of Morsi's reluctance to implement unpopular austerity measures ahead of elections. Abdullah Shehata, an economy expert with the Brotherhood, said the elections will help the country's ailing economy. “The elections will be positive because it will be the final institution to fall into place after the presidency and the constitution,” he said. ElBaradei's group, though, has warned it would boycott the vote unless there are talks with the president aimed at forming a national unity government with more participation by the various political groups. A national dialogue by Morsi failed so far failed to bridge differences or build confidence. The founder of the opposition April 6 movement said if the election law is not agreed upon, they will not participate in elections. “The election laws have not been agreed upon and this is an essential problem,” Ahmed Maher said. The most recent show of unrest came in the restive city of Port Said, where a general strike entered its sixth day on Friday. Factory workers, activists and laborers have held street rallies that brought the coastal city on the northern tip of the Suez Canal to a halt, though shipping in the international waterway has not been affected. Thousands took the streets again Friday, demanding Morsi's ouster and denouncing his call for April elections. More than 40 people died in violent protests there late last month. — AP
