In an unprecedented move, Pope Shenouda III, the patriarch of Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church, has voted for the opposition Wafd Party candidate for Shubra/Mahmasha, businessman Ramy Lakkah, Coptic sources have revealed.
“I came to cast my vote in order to proceed in our path to democracy. I urge Egyptians to go and select their representatives for a better future for our country, and I hope the next parliament will reflect the public will,” the patriarch said. The pope's appearance at Mohamed Farid School polling station saw intensive media coverage.
This unusual turn of events comes after the Omraneya church riots, in which police and Copts clashed over a ban on the construction of a church. The incident spurred a clash between the government and the church, with the former accusing the latter of mobilizing the riots.
In the past the Coptic church has been informally supportive of the NDP, a stance which observers say is intended to guarantee its security.
