Luxor4u

Mubarak's last PM interested in running for Egyptian presidency

CAIRO (Reuters) - Ousted Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister, Ahmed Shafik, said in a television interview broadcast on Thursday that he would run for president if the army chief does not contest elections.

"I believe now I will run for the presidency," Shafik told Al Qahira Wil Nas television, adding that he would compete if army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stayed out of the race expected later this year.

Shafik left Egypt last year after being defeated in the presidential election by Mohamed Mursi, the Muslim Brotherhood politician since overthrown by the army and now on trial for conspiracy and inciting violence while in office.

Last month, Egyptian courts acquitted him in one corruption case and shelved another.

Shafik's return would reflect a shift in the balance of power in Egypt since the army removed Mursi and set the Arab world's largest nation on a new course designed to lead to presidential and parliamentary elections.

The next milestone is a mid-January referendum on a new constitution.

Shafik, a former air force commander who cited Mubarak as a role model during his election campaign, lost narrowly to Mursi in the run-off.

In an interview in September, he said he would not run for the presidency if Sisi did, and that Sisi had his full support.

Sisi has yet to say if he will run. He enjoys wide support among those Egyptians who rejoiced at Mursi's overthrow, but is reviled by the ousted president's supporters. Dates for presidential and parliamentary elections have yet to be set.

(Reporting by Michael Georgy; Editing by Mike Collett-White)


http://uk.news.yahoo.com/mubarak-39-las ... ml#qpVlvnS

Is there no fly which is not attracted back to Egypt at the moment. This one is an old fly at 73 years

This man fled the country because of financial and criminal offenses were alleged. Clearly the courts have now helped pave his way forward.

How could a person stand trial for a criminal offense (corruption) without being extradited first? Was there an attempt to extradite him? How could a person be acquitted of a crime when the prosecution have had no opportunity to examine him on oath? How could a case be prepared against him without the police interviewing him?

What type of legal system exists in Egypt?

This man was Mubarak's PM how could memories be so short? Has Egypt forgotten Mubarak and his henchmen one of whom was this fly.

Yes a lot of Egyptians have forgotten the difficulties under Mubarak, more and more often now I am hearing "I wish Mubarak was still here."

I heard that lots too Carrie.