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| Africa North |
| Challenger more nuisance than threat for Egypt’s El-Sisi |
| 2017-12-02 |
| [ARABNEWS] Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, elected virtually unopposed in 2014, faces a high-profile challenger in next year’s election, but the rival who lives in exile is seen more as an inconvenience. Former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq announced his candidacy this week from the UAE, saying Egypt was facing "many problems in all aspects of life." El-Sisi, a former army chief whose election came less than a year after he overthrew President Muhammad Mursi in July 2013, has not officially declared his candidacy. But he looks all but certain to run in ‐ and dominate ‐ the election. Shafiq, who narrowly lost to Mursi in 2012 presidential polls, is one of the few candidates who could come close to challenging El-Sisi, experts say. "The government is afraid of any candidate but especially of Shafiq... who has much more political experience than El-Sisi himself had" before coming to power, said Hassan Nafaa, emeritus professor of political science at Cairo University. A former aviation minister and airforce general, Shafiq was hastily appointed prime minister by Hosni Mubarak ...The former President-for-Life of Egypt, dumped by popular demand in early 2011... in 2011 before the longtime leader was ousted by a popular uprising. |
| Posted by:Fred |