The fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood has named its chief strategist and financier as a candidate for Egyptian President, a surprising reversal of an earlier pledge to stay out of the race.
The long-outlawed Brotherhood already controls about half of the seats in Parliament and had been concerned that contesting the presidency would bring a backlash from liberals and Western countries fearful of an Islamist takeover. But in a dramatic shift, the Brotherhood nominated deputy leader Khayrat el-Shater. The multimillionaire businessman has played a key role in guiding the group through the transition since the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak.
Because of the Brotherhood's success in the parliamentary vote and the reach of its grassroots political organisation, the candidate it nominates or backs will be considered the frontrunner in the race for the May 24-25 vote. And if el-Shater wins, the Brotherhood would completely dominate the political arena. A Muslim Brotherhood government could also translate into rockier relations with Israel and the United States.
The decision will likely antagonise the ruling generals, who are worried about shielding their significant business interests and other privileges from civilian oversight and are wary of too much power concentrated in the hands of a single group.
- AP