Nominations close for Egypt's presidential elections

Cairo, Apr 8: An interesting mix of candidates -- from ultra conservatives to Leftists to the former regime loyalists -- have officially entered the race to become Egypt's next president, as nominations closed today for the first post Hosni Mubarak presidential election.

While former vice president and ousted leader Mubarak's intelligence chief Omar Sulayman was the last person to submit his papers, the Muslim Brotherhood threw in an "alternative candidate" as a cover if their main contender fails to qualify. Around 20 people have registered their nominations and the candidates include former Arab League chief Amr Moussa, ultra-conservative preacher Hazem Abu Ismail, former Muslim Brotherhood member Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh and Mubarak's last prime minister, Ahmed Shafiq.

Muslim Brotherhood fielded Khairat El-Shater as their candidate after initially saying they would not contest for the presidential seat. On the last day of nomination, the outfit also fielded a second candidate -- the head of the Freedom and Justice party Muhammad Morsi -- as an "alternative candidate" in case El Shater does not qualify.

Sulayman, a Mubarak-era strongman, reached the election office only minutes before the 2 pm deadline for presidential candidacy applications with much fan fare but his candidacy was received poorly by intellectuals on the social network. Sulayman was appointed vice president after the revolution started in Egypt on Jan 29, 2011. He attempted to convince the revolutionaries at the Tahrir Square to leave and promised then he will not run for presidency, saying he was an old man.

Two other significant figures from the former regime in the race are former prime minister Ahmad Shafiq and former foreign minister Amr Moussa.

PTI