Egypt’s presidential election will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, 23 and 24 May 2012. If necessary, a run-off will take place on 16 and 17 June.
The poll is the first presidential election since a popular uprising ousted former President Hosni Mubarak.
It is also the second presidential election in Egypt's history with more than one candidate, following the 2005 election.
There are twelve nominees in the vote. According to results of expat voting, the presidential race is limited between five nominees: Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, Amr Moussa, Muhammad Mursi, Hamdeen Sabahi and Ahmed Shafiq.
Prominent Candidates:
1- Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh:
He is the Secretary General of the Arab Medical Union and a former member of the guidance bureau of the Muslim Brotherhood. Aboul Fotouh is described as an independent candidate. He is popular among Egyptian youths.
Aboul Fotouh is well known for his staunch opposition to both the Sadat and Mubarak regimes, as well as his openness towards people of different political views. He was detained once during Sadat's rule and twice during Mubarak's rule. He has promised to appoint a vice-president who is a youth revolutionary and to fill over half of the country's important posts with youths under the age of 45.
Earlier he said that Camp David accord should be put to the public again.
He received the endorsement of Salafi Al-Nour Party, moderate Islamic Al-Wasat Party and Egyptian Current Party.
2- Amr Moussa:
An independent nominee, he is the former Secretary General of the League of Arab States and former Foreign Minister.
On 27 February 2011 he announced he would be running for presidency.
In his remarks to the press Moussa stated that the qualities required of the President also apply to Gamal Mubarak, the son of the ousted president, arguing that the citizenship, rights and obligations which apply to himself can also be applied to Gamal.
3- Muhammad Mursi:
Chairman of the Freedom and Justice Party, which is the political sect of Muslim Brotherhood.
Mursi was a member of the Guidance Office of the Muslim Brotherhood until the foundation of the Freedom and Justice Party in 2011; he was then elected by the MB's Guidance Office to be the first president of the new party.
He was nominated as an alternative for Brotherhood’s Khairat el-Shater who was banned from candidacy.
4- Hamdeen Sabahi:
Candidate of the Nasserist “Karama” (Dignity) Party, which he leads. He filed his application on 6 April 2012.
Sahabhi, a secular, is running under the slogan "one of us" which highlights his strong ties with the working class and advocates his socialist aspirations.
He is known for his anti-israel stances, especially for the peace treaty with the Zionist entity.
5- Ahmed Shafiq:
An independent nominee
He served as the last prime minister under Hosni Mubarak rule.
He is also an air Marshal. He resigned only three weeks after the deposition of Mubarak. Shafiq claims to be on good terms with the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
Officially, he launched his presidential campaign on 2 November 2011.
6- Mohamed Selim Al-Awa:
An independent candidate, he was the Secretary General of the International Union of Muslim Scholars.
He is now the head of the Egyptian Association for Culture and Dialogue.
Al-Awa, an Islamic thinker, declared his candidacy on 14 June 2011.
Other Candidates:
7- Aboul Ezz Al-Hariri: he is the nominee of the Socialist Popular Alliance Party and MP of “The Revolution Continues” Alliance.
8- Khalid Ali: He is also described as an independent candidate. Ali is a Lawyer and labor activist. He is the former head of the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR) and a founding member of Hisham Mubarak Law Center (HMLC).
9- Hossam Khairallah: nominee of Democratic Peace Party.
10- Abdullah Al-Ashaal: He is the candidate of Authenticity Party, a previous foreign minister assistant and a retired ambassador.
11- Hisham Al-Bastawisi: He is the candidate of Tagammu party. Bastawisi is an Egyptian judge and the vice president of the Egyptian Court of Cassation.
12- Mahmoud Houssam: He emerged as an independent with the support of 30 000 voters. President of the Beginning Party.
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