Al Wafaa’ Islamic Bloc wins Majority in Birzeit University Student Council Elections

Al Wafaa’ Islamic Bloc won 25 out of 51 seats in Birzeit University Students Council elections, held on May 10, 2017.  Competing factions Martyr Yasser Arafat got 22 seats and the Democratic Progressive Student Pole won 4 seats. Other competing blocs did not got any.  

Head of the Elections Preparatory Committee and Dean of Student Affairs Mohammad Al-Ahmad said that 7824 out of 10859 eligible students to vote participated in the elections, with voting rates at 74%.  The number of null votes was 136 and empty votes amounted to 72.

President Abdullatif Abuhijleh praised the participation of students and their commitment to the democratic process.  “The Students have embarked upon one of the fundamental exercises of democracy. The Student Union is 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 2016 elections, the Islamic Wafaa’ Bloc won 25 seats out of 51, the Martyr Yasser Arafat Bloc won 21 seats, Student Progressive Democratic Pole  Bloc held five seats and Birzeit Students Alliance won one seat.