Feb 29, 2012

Presidential Election in Egypt

David DolanBy David Dolan
DDolan.com

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The Egyptian government's state-owned newspaper, Al Ahram, says that presidential elections that were scheduled for this coming June have been moved forward to May. This comes after opposition leaders of the anti-American and anti-Israel Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood Movement demanded that the vote be held as soon as possible.

Amr Moussa

The extremist Muslim group, which had been suppressed by former President Hosni Mubarak—who was ousted from power one year ago this month—won a majority of seats in the lower house of parliament in national elections held earlier this year. Opinion polls suggest a candidate linked to the Islamic movement will triumph in the scheduled presidential vote.

Muslim Brotherhood leaders say one of their first acts will be to put the country's Camp David peace treaty with Israel to a national referendum, with surveys suggesting a majority will vote to abrogate it. Muslim Brotherhood pressure on the current interim Egyptian military leadership running the country to advance the presidential vote eased a bit after government leaders forbade 16 pro-democracy American activists from leaving Egypt earlier this year. The detained Americans included the son of US Transport Secretary Ray LaHood.



Related Links
Egypt lifts travel ban on US pro-democracy workers, officials say • FOX News
Egypt presidential election to begin in May • BBC News
Islamists win 80% of Egypt's upper parliament vote • Jerusalem Post
Egypt president hopeful Sabahi says no gas to Israel if elected • Bikya Masr
Egypt presidential election May 23-24 • Daily News Egypt