Two candidates for presidency of Egyptian opposition coalition abroad

A number of Egyptian political figures abroad are currently establishing the first official opposition coalition under the name “The National Democratic Council”.

According to Freedom and Justice Party official and former MP Khaled Mohamed, a founding member of the coalition, there are two candidates for leading the coalition: Dr Mohamed Mahsoub of Al-Wasat Party and Dr Ayman Nour of the Ghad al-Thawra Party.

The NDC is a new entity that “seeks to unite the January 25 forces and implement the Brussels Declaration’s ten principles”, Khaled Mohamed told Anadolu. He added that the coalition aims at “restoring the January 25 revolution and the democratic path.”

He pointed out that the choice of the two candidates was based on their role in “enriching political life in Egypt”, and their well-known stance against the Mubarak regime as well as their objective criticism of the Morsi presidency. They are qualified to unite the divided political forces, he stressed.

Dr Mohamed Mahsoub is the vice president of the moderate Islamist Al-Wasat Party, and former minister of parliamentary affairs under Morsi. He was also the dean of the Law School at Menofiya University.

Dr Ayman Nour is a liberal politician and founder of Ghad Al-Thawra Party. He ran against Hosni Mubarak in the 2005 presidential elections.

Mohamed added that the NDC will not be an alternative entity for the National Alliance for Supporting Legitimacy. However, he said it will provide a wider umbrella for the various political actors.