Khaled Al-Balshi, a 60-year-old leftist journalist who was re-elected chairman of the Press Syndicate on 2 May, ran a campaign focusing on press freedoms, the need for an independent syndicate and higher wages for journalists. “My pledge is that in a second two-year term I will continue working for all journalists, whether they chose me or not. The syndicate will continue to be a home for all journalists, and my office will remain open to all journalists, not to one group over another.”
Al-Balshi pointed out that his approach from the beginning was to work with all rival candidates, invite them to work together, and thank them for the competition. “Let’s work together to advance press freedoms and for dignified conditions for all journalists,” Al-Balshi said.
He said the high turnout of journalists during election day was a “mandate” for him to move forward on an independent path. “I pledge to continue my efforts on issues of press freedom, secure the release of detained journalists, develop the profession, defend editorial independence and ensure fair wages for all journalists,” Al-Balshi added.
Mohamed Saad Abdel-Hafiz, another leftist journalist who was re-elected as a member of the syndicate’s board for another four years, described Al-Balshi’s victory as the culmination of a historic turnout and represented a clear and powerful message from journalists that they voted for independence and press freedoms. “Al-Balshi’s second term will be challenging because economic conditions are difficult and journalists are counting on the new head and board members to improve the profession’s conditions and raise their standard of living,” Abdel-Hafiz said.
Abdel-Hafiz argued that Al-Balshi’s winning a second term shows that the majority of journalists want the syndicate to have a voice in the country’s public and political affairs. “The syndicate’s roles should not be limited to serving journalists and improving their living conditions, but also pushing for political reform, greater respect of human rights and reinforcing public freedoms,” Abdel-Hafiz said.
In his first term, Al-Balshi adopted a moderate approach in the relationship between the Press Syndicate and government institutions, building bridges of cooperation and avoiding direct confrontation. “This pragmatic style was one of the reasons why Al-Balshi won a second term,” said Abdel-Hafiz.
Regarding priorities for the coming period, Abdel-Hafiz said Al-Balshi and the Press Syndicate’s board will focus on advancing press freedoms, releasing detained journalists, pressing for amending freedom-restricting legislation, and improving the living conditions of journalists. “We will all work together to increase funds for training and technological allowances,” said Abdel-Hafiz, noting that “in 2023, allowances were raised by LE600 to LE3,760 [$80], and we hope it will be raised again to LE5,000 [$100].”
Al-Balshi was re-elected after receiving 3,346 (55 per cent) of the 6,051 votes cast, capturing 55 per cent of the total ballots and beating his closest rival, Al-Ahram’s former board chairman and a member of the Supreme Council for Media Affairs (SCMA) Abdel-Mohsen Salama who received 2,562 votes (45 per cent).
Salama, who was head of the Press Syndicate between 2017 and 2019, expressed his gratitude and appreciation to all journalists who voted for him. In a voice message to journalists, Salama said “I exerted a lot of effort and had great ambitions for my fellow journalists in the Press Syndicate.
“Unfortunately, before the election even began, it was marred by campaigns of doubt and attacks on me, with many describing me as ‘the government’s candidate’. Many journalists fell into the trap of this deception because they were influenced by negative and black propaganda from leftists,” said Salama, adding that “regardless of what happened in the election, I thank every colleague who stood by me, supported me, and made an effort with me.”
The re-election of Al-Balshi for a second term led some journalists and commentators to insist that the Press Syndicate was hijacked by leftists. Ahmed Nagi Qamha, editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram’s Al-Siysa Al-Dawlia (International Politics), deplored in an article in Al-Ahram that the syndicate was monopolised by a particular faction which was fond of raising “empty slogans” and adopting a confrontational approach towards the state’s institutions. “The syndicate should not be part of any external political conflict, and will not serve as a tool in the hands of any party, movement, or faction,” Qamha said, stating that “the syndicate’s mission is to protect the profession and its members, not to side with one faction over another.”
In an interview with Extra News TV after his victory, Al-Balshi insisted that the syndicate was not “hijacked” by a certain faction. “Any talk about a certain faction hijacking the syndicate is not true because I cooperate with all for the sake of a free press,” Al-Balshi said.
Al-Balshi is currently editor-in-chief of the leftist online publication Darb. In 2016, Al-Balshi, as the syndicate’s head of the Freedoms Committee, was detained after two opposition reporters staged a sit-in at the syndicate’s Cairo headquarters. “That I am critical of the government does not mean that I will seek confrontation with state authorities,” he said. “My first term shows that I worked to foster cooperation with all authorities — the government, the National Authority for the Press, the SCMA and the House of Representatives, to save Egypt’s press industry from extinction,” Al-Balshi said.
Eight journalists ran for the post of chair of the Press Syndicate while 43 candidates competed for six board seats. The vote was overseen by a judicial committee comprised of members of the Administrative Prosecution Authority.
According to the committee, 6,051 journalists voted out of 10,232 eligible members — a turnout of just over 59 per cent.
In addition to Al-Balshi and Salama, six other candidates ran for the post, including Sayed Al-Iskandrani (44 votes), Mohsen Hashem (six), Nora Rashed (five), Mohamed Maghrabi (two), Mohamed Badawi (one), and Talaat Hashem (one vote).
Celebrations erupted even before the official results were announced, with supporters chanting “Say it, don’t be afraid, Al-Balshi is our head,” inside the syndicate building in downtown Cairo.
Speaking to reporters after winning the vote, Al-Balshi described his re-election as a mandate to continue the path he began during his first term, with his second campaign running under the slogan “The dream lives on.” “This victory is a responsibility from a general assembly that wants free journalism, dignified services, and no compromises,” he stated.
He also thanked Salama, for what he described as “an honourable contest,” adding “it was a tough race, but a respectable one.”
* A version of this article appears in print in the 8 May, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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