A rift has erupted within the ranks of the moderate Islamist Wasat Party after its chairman, Abul Ela Mady, announced his support for former Muslim Brotherhood member Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh for the presidential elections slated for May.
The party had previously said it would back Mohamed Selim al-Awa, an Islamic intellectual and lawyer.
During an electoral conference held by Abouel Fotouh at Al-Azhar Park in Cairo on Monday, Mady described Abouel Fotouh as a great, patriotic figure, and expressed hope that he would occupy a top post in post-revolution Egypt.
But Mady’s deputy, Mohamed al-Semman, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that Mady had expressed a personal view that does not reflect the stance of the party, which had chosen to endorse Awa.
Semman said that changing the party’s endorsement from Awa to Abouel Fotouh would first require a survey of party members across Egypt. He also said their preference of Awa has nothing to do with his legal defense for the party’s right to political recognition.
Awa is expected to submit his candidacy documents by the end of the week, Semman said, adding that the candidate obtained the support of 30 legislators, as required by law.
In early March, the Wasat Party said it would try to convince one of the two candidates to withdraw from the presidential race, slated for 23 and 24 May, in deference to the other.
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
