Freedom and Justice Party head

The Muslim Brotherhood Shura Council discussed Thursday potential nominees to succeed Freedom and Justice Party head Mohamed Morsy if he wins the presidential election, sources told Al-Masry Al-Youm.

Meeting participants also discussed who would succeed People’s Assembly Speaker Saad al-Katatny as FJP secretary general. Reformist figures including Mohamed Gamal Heshmat, Helmi al-Gazzar, Essam al-Erian and Mohamed al-Beltagy are being considered for top positions in order to “redeem past political mistakes,” the sources added.

One Shura Council member reportedly suggested that the group and the political party be separated because “pairing them together has achieved bad results.”

An official with the Brotherhood’s administrative offices in Upper Egypt demanded during the meeting that officials in governorates that failed to achieve positive results in the first round of the presidential election resign or be punished, the sources said. This demand was reportedly laughed off by the rest of the meeting participants.

Shura Council member Saad Emara said the meeting focused on Morsy’s presidential campaign. Emara called on the group to intensify their efforts to ensure that Morsy succeeds in the second round.

The Brotherhood will reportedly reach out to the Coptic Church and Egypt’s Christian population based on instructions from Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie and the Shura Council.

Abdallah Sayaf, a member of the Shura Council from Beni Suef, said the Brotherhood and the FJP have met with the church, the campaign of former Brotherhood leader Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh, the Salafi Nour Party, and Jama’a al-Islamiya to secure their support for Morsy. The meetings have been promising, he added.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

Tags: Saad Emara, the Brotherhood, Muslim Brotherhood Shura Council, Saad al-Katatny, Shura Council

Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh and Amr Moussa were the top two presidential candidates in a poll released Thursday by a think tank close to the Cabinet, with each receiving 11 percent support.

The poll, conducted by the Information and Decision Support Center, revealed that 42 of Egyptians have not yet selected their preferred candidate.

Behind the leading candidates were former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq with 6 percent and Freedom and Justice Party head Mohamed Morsy with 2 percent. Three percent of respondents refused to announce their preferred candidate, while 2 percent named other candidates not polled. Seven percent said they would not participate in the election, while 16 percent said they had not yet decided whether they would vote.

The think tank said it conducted phone interviews with 1,209 people over the age of 18.

In a statement, the center said the Abouel Fotouh’s highest rate of support — 19 percent — came from the 18–20 age group. This was closely followed by university and post-graduate students with 18 percent. Those at medium economic status made up 14 percent of his support, and those with high incomes gave him 18 percent. Geographically, 18 percent of Abouel Fotouh’s support came from governorates in the Delta region.

Among the 11 percent who said they supported Abouel Fotouh, 90 percent support the 25 January revolution, 20 percent support the Muslim Brotherhood, while 17 percent support the Salafi political movement.

The poll’s results also showed high support for Moussa among voters 50 years old or older, with 8 percent. Supporters who had not received a high school certificate was at 12 percent. Also, 14 percent of his supporters have low incomes.

Of the 11 percent who support Moussa, 89 percent support the revolution, 6 percent the Brotherhood, and 27 percent the Salafi political movement.

Edited translation from MENA

Tags: Amr Moussa, Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh, preferred candidate, Mohamed Morsy, Freedom and Justice Party head, Abouel Fotouh, presidential candidates

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Muslim Brotherhood ponders new leadership

Poll shows Abouel Fotouh and Moussa in lead with 11% each