Egypt’s revolution under threat: Hardline candidate approved

Published time: April 12, 2012 08:44
Edited time: April 20, 2012 13:29
Egyptian Salafist presidential candidate Hazem Abu Ismail is surrounded by his supporters during a rally outside the State Council court in Cairo on April 10, 2012. (AFP Photo / Khaled Desouki)

An Egyptian court has approved a hardline Muslim candidate to run in the May Presidential race. The Salafi politician’s ultra-conservative stance has raised doubts that the elections will achieve the aims of the revolution.

50-year-old lawyer, Hazem Abu Ismail enjoys significant support particularly among Egypt’s conservative Salafi contingent.

He had previously been disqualified from the presidential race after reports that his mother had received US citizenship. According to the country’s law the parents and wives of all candidates must only have Egyptian citizenship.

The court said on Wednesday that it did not have enough evidence to prove that Abu Ismail’s mother was an American citizen.

Thousands of his supporters had gathered outside the court in Cairo and greeted the ruling with cheers of “God is great!” and “Here is the President!”

Abu Ismail is a Salafist and as such is an advocate of a strict interpretation of the Islamic faith. He will be up against other more moderate candidates like the Muslim Brotherhood’s Khairat el-Shater and former regime politicians such as former Foreign Minister Amr Moussa.

If he wins the election he says he will implement Sharia law forcing women to cover their heads in public. Although he accepts that women have to work out of economic necessity he emphasizes that “women must not be obliged to work outside the home.”

Comments (19)

Evan (unregistered) 13.04.2012 01:35

I do not get it, why would the US lie to the world about promoting and advocating for democracy and freedom yet on the other hand it is supporting the salafi and the muslim brothers who are the worst and by far the most extremist people as they so often get involved in terrorist activities. I reckon terrorism and US are pretty linked and those extremists are the puppets of America. very shameful indeed.

+3

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Bianca 13.04.2012 01:30

I am not sure at times  who is writing these articles.  "The revolution in danger"!  Really?  And who were those who toppled the regime?   I will help with the answer:  not the youth at Tahrir Square.  If these twitting young ones were the only ones wishing to see Mubark go,  their fate would be same as the people of Pearl Roundabout.  Mubarak fell when the uprising went accross Egypt.  Ports, major cities, and even accross Egypt's spawling West, trade unions,  workers outside unions.   The regime fell like a house of cards.  There was only military to save the day.  Military betrayed Mubarak, and joined the revolution. &nb sp; People then voted, and OVERWHELMINGLY selected Moslem Brotherhood and another pro-moslem party.  These are the people who really pulled off the revolution.  After decades of being bludgeoned, imprisoned and killed,  they won elections and got support from HUGE percentage of population. &nb sp; Military is behind them, no matter what juicy media stories come about.  The real danger is in courts trying to prevent the process from going on, and stiflling the momentum toward transition to the civilian government. &nb sp; In spite of all the rubbish being written,  military under Mubarak was decimated, and their equipping put decades behind.  Mubarak created his own private security, and distrusted the Army.  This was his mistake.  Egypt was lucky in that regard.  There was an entity that prevented bloodshed and civil war.  And for that, they must be very gratefull. &nbs p; But there is not a day to go by that one does not find in media a story about "revolution" being "in danger".  As if --- they know whose revolution was it, and what the people wanted.  THEY VOTED IN MILLIONS --- confirming whose revolution it really was. 

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hvecjhb 12.04.2012 23:38

Stu (unregistered) wrote in #16
So long as he doesn't decide to close the Suez Canal, then I really couldn't care less how Egypt governs itself.
well you do care then.. since the Suez belongs to egypt xD.. they can do as they wish with it!!

+5

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