Noticias

The leader of Egypt's main Christian sect has said the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi reflected the “pulse of the street.”

Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II, currently on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, spoke to Sky News Arabia about the "fine difference between the political role [of the Church] and its national role."

Mahmoud Fawzy, spokesman of a technical committee in charge of amending Egypt's election laws, said the committee will finish drafting amendments for two laws on Tuesday – the 1956 law on the exercise of political rights and the 1972 law regulating the performance of the House of Representatives, Egypt's lower house parliament.

Egyptian presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahi spoke to Egyptian expat voters on Monday via videoconference, Al-Ahram's Arabic website reported.

Egyptian expats are the first to cast their ballots worldwide in Egyptian embassies from 15 to 18 May.

"We ask the Egyptians abroad to participate in future policies," he said.

Videoconferencing is a new technique to be used in Egyptian elections.

Ibrahim Mounir, the Muslim Brotherhood official spokesperson, has announced that the stance of the international organisation is the same as that of the Muslim Brotherhood inside Egypt: they are both calling for a boycott of the upcoming presidential election in Egypt.

A number of Egyptian political figures abroad are currently establishing the first official opposition coalition under the name "The National Democratic Council".

According to Freedom and Justice Party official and former MP Khaled Mohamed, a founding member of the coalition, there are two candidates for leading the coalition: Dr Mohamed Mahsoub of Al-Wasat Party and Dr Ayman Nour of the Ghad al-Thawra Party.

In 2012, 13 candidates competed in the first round of Egypt's presidential election. In retrospect, the race offered the most diverse political palette yet. Turnout saw a drop of over 20% from the parliamentary elections just months earlier, yet the variety of candidates offered insight into what Egyptians identify with and what they are willing to sacrifice or accept when facing tough choices. The second round was a nightmare scenario for the majority, who had to choose between the extremes of each camp: pro-state and Islamist.

More than four decades after his death, Egyptian nationalist leader Jamal Abdul Nasser is immensely popular in the country as the ‘man of the poor’ due to his socialist policies.

Egyptians should not expect instant democracy or rapid economic reforms, but should pull together for shared sacrifice. That is the sober message being delivered by Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, the general who toppled Egypt's first freely-elected leader last year and is now poised to be elected president later this month.

The electoral race in Egypt took off between the two candidates, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Hamdeen Sabahi. Compared to the 2012 elections, which were marked by strong competition, variety and surprise, this race is strange, given its coldness, lack of variety and perhaps competence. In fact, the electoral campaigns of the candidates reflect these confusing characteristics and disrupt the democratic transition process, while reconfirming the persisting division and polarization in society.