For the first time since the region's popular uprising erupted, protestors in Yemen and Syria unified the slogan of this Friday's protest. Masses rallied in both countries under the banner "Victory for Our Syria and Our Yemen," and chanted in solidarity with each other's struggle.

(Sana'a, Yemen. Reuters/Ahmed Jadallah)

Millions of Egyptians came out to Tahrir Square today for the "Day of Departure," according to Al Jazeera's Arabic channel. Demonstrators said all Egyptians were participating and that they would not leave until their demands were met.

BBC Arabic reported that both pro and anti-Mubarak protesters turned out in Alexandria. They also said that the Egyptian Attorney General banned several officials from leaving the country as a precautionary measure against them.

One of the banned ministers, former Minister of Commerce and Industry Rachid Mohamed Rachid, called into Nile TV, Egyptian state television. Rachid said he was in Dubai with the permission of authorities and did not know why he had been banned from traveling.

Al Alam, the Arabic language channel from Iran, reported that an European Union summit issued a statement today condemning the attacks on Egyptian demonstrators and calling for an immediate peaceful transition of power. They also said three demonstrations supporting the pro-democracy protesters took place in Brussels today.

Iran's English language channel, Press TV, showed demonstrations around the world in support of the anti-Mubarak protesters, including in Malaysia where protesters clashed with police.

Lebanon's New TV featured the newly appointed Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman. The soft-spoken Suleiman rose through the armed forces and military intelligence to become head of the Egyptian General Intelligence Service.

As protests continue in Egypt, Dubai TV reports on how the unrest is affecting the Gaza Strip. Egypt is the main source of supplies for the people of Gaza. Transportation tunnels at the Rafah border crossing have been cut off since the protests erupted, leading to fears of a food shortage.

Violence continued today between supporters of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and pro-democracy demonstrators. According to BBC Arabic, the army intervened to separate the two sides and the Egyptian government has started a campaign to reassure the demonstrators.

Al Alam, an Arabic language channel out of Iran, reported that attacks on journalists are increasing in Egypt and that several of their reporters have been assaulted. Cameras broadcasting live from Tahrir Square have been targeted as well.

Nile TV, the state-run Arabic channel from Egypt, spoke with new Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman. Suleiman conceded that the protesters' demands are "legitimate" and that they are being reviewed. He also said this was at heart a good youth movement that had been infiltrated by outside special interests.

Al Jazeera's Arabic channel reported clashes outside the Egyptian embassy in Beirut between Lebanese security forces and supporters of the Egyptian pro-democracy demonstrations. Security forces stopped the protesters from storming the embassy.

According to New TV, an Arabic language channel from Lebanon, the Mubarak family's wealth exceeds $50 billion. Reports indicate that he is likely to hold on to that vast personal wealth when he leaves office, regardless of whether it is next week or next fall.

Dubai TV reported rival protests in the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, attracted thousands. The opposition protest called for all political parties to participate in a national dialogue. Yemen's president met with the main opposition party two days ago and an agreement may be a possibility.

The protests in Egypt turned violent today as President Mubarak’s security forces clashed with demonstrators in Tahrir Square, leaving hundreds injured, according to the BBC Arabic channel. Al Jazeera referred to the attackers as armed thugs, who reportedly used Molotov cocktails against anti-government protesters - some entered the square on camels and horses.

Also on the Al Jazeera Arabic channel, opposition leader Mohamed El Baradei said plainclothes police officers attacked protesters as well, claiming they managed to confiscate police ID cards after an attack. El Baradei also called on the army to intervene on behalf of the protesters. So far the army has remained on the sidelines of the clashes.

Al Alam, the Arabic language satellite channel from Iran, reported that the Arab Committee for Human Rights warned that they are collecting evidence against those who are perpetrating attacks against protesters and will hold the Egyptian regime responsible in court for these actions.

Meanwhile, Dubai TV showed foreign citizens currently in Egypt continuing to flee, with Cairo airport crowded as they attempt to find flights out of the country. And Israel Broadcasting Authority covered a small demonstration in front of the Egyptian embassy in Tel Aviv.

For a number of Arab countries, including Bahrain, Jordan, and Egypt, 2010 witnessed yet another round of disappointing parliamentary elections.  

In all three countries, ruling parties faced serious competition from the opposition. However, as elections neared and campaigns heated up, the undermining of opposition parties intensified. The authoritarian regimes' methods ranged from media censorship and mass arrests to violent crackdowns.

On October 23, 2010, Bahrain, the only Gulf state that allows political organizations known as "societies," held its third parliamentary elections. The predominantly Shiite Gulf state, ruled by a Sunni government, managed to pull off a reasonably free but unfair election. Granted, no reports of direct electoral fraud emerged after the election but it was preceded by a crackdown on government critics, a clampdown on the media, the intimidation of opposition members, and arrest of prominent activists.

Undeterred, the Shiite-led Wefaq Party participated and swept 18 of the 40-seat Council of Representatives. But for Bahrain’s Shiite majority that has long complained of discrimination in accessing government jobs and housing, the election did not lead to a change in the political makeup of the government since the members of the upper house, Bahrain’s main legislative body, are directly appointed by the king.

Unlike Bahrain where main opposition group Al-Wefaq and Sunni Islamist groups Al-Asalah and Al-Menbar participated in the elections, Egypt and Jordan’s opposition parties chose to boycott theirs. The hope that elections in those two countries might provide a glimpse into democratization in the Middle East were quickly dashed as the rigging or manipulation of the vote was carefully crafted long before election day. 

On November 9, 2010, Jordan held parliamentary elections that were also perceived as free but unfair. The Jordanian government passed a new electoral law earlier that year that was viewed by the opposition as favoring tribal allegiances at the expense of political and social platforms. This led the Muslim Brotherhood and its political wing, the Islamic Action Front, to boycott the elections citing a “lack of genuine desire for reform” on the part of the government.

As a result, loyalists to Jordan's King Abdullah II and tribal-affiliated candidates won most of the upper and lower house seats. And although the boycott damaged the credibility of the elections, the royal family was able to cling on to power domestically while preserving its democratic image internationally.

On November 28, 2010, Egypt held its parliamentary elections after violently clamping down on the opposition. In the weeks and months leading up to the parliamentary election, the government carried out wide-scale sweeps, targeting members and supporters of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. Despite the latter's participation in the first round, it failed to secure any seats, citing vote rigging, fraud and ballot stuffing. 

Both the liberal Wafd Party and the Muslim Brotherhood boycotted the run-off round on December 5, 2010 and with 97 percent control of the People's Assembly, President Hosni Mubarak’s ruling National Democratic Party managed to further tighten its grip on power in Egypt.

The electoral farce held in Bahrain, Jordan, and Egypt is part of what has become a familiar political game aimed at diffusing Arab anger and frustration with stagnating and unpopular regimes. Indeed, Arabs are growing tired of meaningless elections that merely offer a facade for change but leave them even more cynical about the possibility of a democratic transition of power.  

The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index for 2010 classified all three countries as “authoritarian” and the Middle East and North Africa region as the most repressive globally. How much longer will these crumbling regimes be able to quell popular mobilization? And if boycotting campaigns keep on failing to delegitimize these regimes, one has to wonder what opposition parties will do next.

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