Christians Worried Over Having Islamist President

Although the Church has announced it does not favour a certain contender in Egypt’s coming presidential election, Marina Nadi, a Christian business administration student, is certain that neither she nor her family will vote for any Islamist contestant.

“The Islamist-dominated parliament has done nothing to allay the Copts’ fears about their future in this country. I remember how Salafist (ultra-conservative Muslim) lawmakers refused to observe a minute of silence in memory of Pope Shenouda when he died in March obviously because he was a Christian. So how can I trust Islamists?” she said.

Islamists’ growing clout in Egypt in the wake of a popular revolt, which toppled long-standing president Hosni Mubarak in February last year, has triggered fears among the country’s Christian minority about their freedoms and future role.

The Christians, who account for around 10 per cent of Egypt’s 80 million, have long complained about alleged state discrimination in holding top posts and attacks from the Muslim majority. They say that their status has not improved after the revolution.

“Our places of worship are attacked from time to time amid religious intolerance fuelled by Islamists’ political rise,” said Nadi. “The killers of the Christians outside the television building have not been brought to justice. How will we feel secure if an Islamist takes the presidential helm?” she said, referring to the killing of 27 people, mainly Christian protesters, in clashes with army troops outside state television in Cairo in October.