Wafaa’ Islamic Bloc Wins Majority in Birzeit University Student Council Elections

Wafaa’ Islamic Bloc  won 25 out of 51 seats in the Birzeit University Students Council elections, held on April 27, 2016.  Competing factions Martyr Yasser Arafat Bloc got  21 seats and  the Democratic Progressive Student Pole won 5  seats. Other competing blocs did not got any.Head of the Elections Preparatory Committee and Dean of Student Affairs Mohammad Al-Ahmad said that 7578 out of 9892 eligible students to vote participated in the elections, with voting rates at 76.61%.  The number of null votes was 173 and empty votes amounted to 51.President Abdel Latif Abu Hijleh applauded the students’ commitment and cooperation.  “ The Students have embarked upon one of the fundamental exercises of democracy. The Student Union is first and foremost a democratic organization that represents the students at Birzeit University. The university seeks to contribute in promoting peaceful, democratic and inclusive societies.”One day before the elections, a student debate between the competing blocs was held in which each bloc presented its electoral program and its goals and objectives, followed by questions asked by the Student Affairs dean.In the 2015 elections, the Islamic Wafaa’ Bloc won 26 seats out of 51, the Martyer Yasser Arafat Bloc won 19 seats, Student Progressive Democratic Pole  Bloc held five seats and Birzeit Students Alliance won one seat.