5 surprises in Egypt's presidential election
Egyptians went to the polls earlier this week to elect a new president after longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak was ousted last year. With a majority of ballots counted, here is a look at a handful of notable, if not surprising, developments:
1. LEADING CANDIDATE CRASHES:
Amr Moussa, a former foreign minister and ex-head of the Arab League, had led opinion polls for months. However, he failed to garner enough votes to make the June 16-17 runoff.
2. OLD REGIME CANDIDATE MAKES CUT:
Former prime minister Ahmed Shafiq, a veteran of ousted President Hosni Mubarak's government, got enough votes to make the June 16-17 runoff. Shafiq ran as an anti-revolutionary candidate, promising a return to the security and stability of Mubarak government. His success would have been inconceivable a year ago amid the revolutionary fever that ousted Mubarak.
3. MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD WEAKER THAN EXPECTED:
Mohammed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate, got the most votes and will have the lead going into the June 16-17 runoff. However, the Brotherhood's showing in general was weak compared to its domination of parliamentary elections last year, a sign of public disenchantment with the group.
4. LEFTIST CANDIDATE SURGES:
Hamdeen Sabahi had a surprise last-minute surge after campaigning on promises to help the poor and harkening back to the nationalist, socialist ideology of Gamel Abdel-Nasser, Egypt's president from 1956 to 1970. He will not go on to the June 16-17 runoff, but his strong performance shows that many voters were looking for an alternative candidate, one not connected to former President Hosni Mubarak or Islamist candidates.
5. EXPECTED CONTENDER IN FOURTH
Abdel-Moneim Abolfotoh, who was ousted by the Muslim Brotherhood last year after announcing his candidacy (the Brotherhood initially said it would not field a candidate), was seen as the face of moderate Islam. He put together a broad coalition of supporters, and was expected to be a contender for the June 16-17 runoff. However, with most votes counted, he was running a fourth. His decision to accept the endorsement of ultraconservative Islamists known as Salafis likely frightened many secularists and Christians who had been leaning toward him.
1. LEADING CANDIDATE CRASHES:
Amr Moussa, a former foreign minister and ex-head of the Arab League, had led opinion polls for months. However, he failed to garner enough votes to make the June 16-17 runoff.
2. OLD REGIME CANDIDATE MAKES CUT:
Former prime minister Ahmed Shafiq, a veteran of ousted President Hosni Mubarak's government, got enough votes to make the June 16-17 runoff. Shafiq ran as an anti-revolutionary candidate, promising a return to the security and stability of Mubarak government. His success would have been inconceivable a year ago amid the revolutionary fever that ousted Mubarak.
3. MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD WEAKER THAN EXPECTED:
Mohammed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate, got the most votes and will have the lead going into the June 16-17 runoff. However, the Brotherhood's showing in general was weak compared to its domination of parliamentary elections last year, a sign of public disenchantment with the group.
4. LEFTIST CANDIDATE SURGES:
Hamdeen Sabahi had a surprise last-minute surge after campaigning on promises to help the poor and harkening back to the nationalist, socialist ideology of Gamel Abdel-Nasser, Egypt's president from 1956 to 1970. He will not go on to the June 16-17 runoff, but his strong performance shows that many voters were looking for an alternative candidate, one not connected to former President Hosni Mubarak or Islamist candidates.
5. EXPECTED CONTENDER IN FOURTH
Abdel-Moneim Abolfotoh, who was ousted by the Muslim Brotherhood last year after announcing his candidacy (the Brotherhood initially said it would not field a candidate), was seen as the face of moderate Islam. He put together a broad coalition of supporters, and was expected to be a contender for the June 16-17 runoff. However, with most votes counted, he was running a fourth. His decision to accept the endorsement of ultraconservative Islamists known as Salafis likely frightened many secularists and Christians who had been leaning toward him.