Rising speculation in Egypt over who will run for president

Debate is heating up in Egypt about who may run in the upcoming presidential elections due to take place at the end of the year.

Egyptian journalist Mustafa Bakri said: “There is a candidate who is absent in this widening circle. There is a candidate who may have great popular support. A strong person may appear, it is quite possible. I expect that there is a strong person who will run in the presidential election and he can complete the scene in a big way. We, Egyptians, are no less than Turkiye or any other nation, we are a country that has known parliaments and has known democracy since 1966.”

Bakri’s statements have sparked speculation about who the “strong personality” may be, with some suggesting that it could be 86-year-old former Foreign Minister, Amr Moussa, while others ruled him out due to his old age.

Egyptian opponent Dr. Ayman Nour also expected Moussa to run, describing him as the “one candidate with competitiveness and genuine desire who is better than a thousand Yamama,” in reference to the head of the Al-Wafd Party, Abdul Sanad Yamama, who has announced his intention to run in the election, while announcing at the same time, his support for President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.

Journalist Sayyad Al-Babili said a number of parties have already announced the names of their candidates, including the Wafd, Democratic Peace and the Republican People in addition to independents.

READ: Egypt billionaire Naguib Sawiris denies supporting Sisi’s presidential bid

He pointed out that the Egyptian people will vote for the person who will safeguard security and stability at this “very important historical stage” to secure a safe passage to overcome the country’s economic crises and complete the journey in building a new republic that achieves the Egyptians’ dreams of development and prosperity.

The debate has also included the potential candidacy of Gamal Mubarak; son of the late president and lifelong ruler Hosni Mubarak; who enjoys close ties and support from the Gulf.

However, legal sources have confirmed that Gamal Mubarak is a convict under the law, and therefore he cannot run for a political position until six years after the expiry of the ruling.

According to the sources, even then, he must submit a “request” to practise political work.

According to the constitutional amendments approved by the Egyptian Parliament in 2019, the current presidential term of Al-Sisi ends in 2024, and he is entitled to run for a third presidential term of six years.