The Supreme Court on Thursday June 14 ruled that Ahmed Shafiq can run in this weekend's election.
Egypt's Supreme Court yesterday June 14, 2012 ruled that former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq should go ahead and stand in this weekend's second round presidential election. The court had considered a law that would have barred him from standing for office on grounds that he was a member of the former regime.
The BBC reported that there was a large security presence outside the court as demonstrators gathered for the judgement. A barbed-wire fence was constructed around the court grounds to keep protesters out as rows of police in riot gear stood guard. Many demonstrators shouted slogans and held posters demanding that Ahmed Shafiq be disqualified. One activist, Mohamed Abdel Quodous, said Shafiq should be disqualified because he was considered as part of the old guard.
Egyptians will therefore head to the polls tomorrow Saturday June 16, 2012 in two days of voting to choose a successor to former President Hosni Mubarak who was forced out of power by last year's uprising. The first round of the election last month produced Mohamed Mursi, an engineer and university lecturer of the Moslem Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party and his runner up, Ahmed Shafiq. The latter, a former Air force Chief, was Mubarak's last Premier. He ran as an independent candidate. Mursi led with 24.7 per cent of votes against Shafiq's 23.6 per cent. A total of 13 candidates competed for the position.
Shafiq is running on a tough law-and-order platform against Mursi whose movement has vowed to uphold the goals of the uprising. The Agence France Presse news agency said the race has polarised the nation between those who fear a return to the old regime under Shafiq and those who want to keep religion out of politics. They accuse the Muslim Brotherhood – which already dominates Parliament – of monopolising power since last year's revolt.
The election brings to a close a difficult transition that was marked by political upheavals and bloodshed, but which also witnessed democratic parliamentary elections that saw Islamist groups score a crushing victory. The ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has vowed to hand over power by the end of this month.
