Egyptians not to elect Military’s Favorite Candidate

Egypt is getting closer to its first presidential election in the post-revolution era following the ouster of ex-president Hosni Mubarak.

The wide scale perception in Egypt is that it was the fear of Mubarak’s passing power to his son Gamal who had no military background, that made the army support last year’s popular revolution, and not its belief in the revolution and its demands. So is the military ready to give up its might, through peaceful polls.

Despite the fact events of the rocky transitional period in Egypt, the latest of which the deadly scenes near the ministry of defense headquarters on Wednesday, are clear signals in the eyes of many that the military has its list of favorite candidates. But whether they’ll succeed is another story.

Many warned they won’t accept what they believe are the military council’s favorites from the remnants of the former regime to govern the new Egypt.

Numerous presidential candidates who are perceived as belonging to the revolution, including the Islamic candidate, Abul-Fotouh, who looks like the frontrunner at the moment, have said that they would hold accountable all those responsible for the killing of Egyptians during the revolution.

Highlighting the pressures facing the military, Abul-Fotouh has made it clear, along with most presidential candidates, that the constitution should not be written while the military council is still at the helm, and that an elected President, will be a true Supreme Commander of the Army, and not just by name.

Egypt’s Supreme Council for Armed Forces (SCAF) took power in the aftermath of the last February revolution in the country that overthrew former dictator Hosni Mubarak’s Western-backed regime. The SCAF promised to step down after a while and hand over power to a civilian government, a pledge that hasn’t fulfilled.

So can the ruling military in Egypt tolerate an Islamic figure at the helm in Egypt, or will it fight him. Will it allow a stranger to take over the top post in the country, or does it have to be from the family, or at least a friend, only days will tell, according to Islam Times.