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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Khaled Ali withdraws from Egyptian presidential race | Khaled Ali withdraws from Egyptian presidential race |
| (1 day later) | |
| Lawyer ends challenge to Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, telling supporters ‘opportunity for hope has gone’ | |
| Ruth Michaelson in Cairo | |
| Wed 24 Jan 2018 19.05 GMT | |
| Last modified on Thu 25 Jan 2018 08.37 GMT | |
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| The Egyptian presidential hopeful and rights lawyer Khaled Ali has quit the race, becoming the latest would-be candidate who either has bowed out or been forced to abandon a challenge to the president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, before the March election. | The Egyptian presidential hopeful and rights lawyer Khaled Ali has quit the race, becoming the latest would-be candidate who either has bowed out or been forced to abandon a challenge to the president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, before the March election. |
| Ali, a prominent socialist, had entered the race as a symbol of Egypt’s leftist revolutionary politics, but on Wednesday he told a press conference packed with supporters that “the opportunity for hope in this presidential election has gone”. | Ali, a prominent socialist, had entered the race as a symbol of Egypt’s leftist revolutionary politics, but on Wednesday he told a press conference packed with supporters that “the opportunity for hope in this presidential election has gone”. |
| Ali’s decision came hours after Sisi submitted his nomination documents, and a day after the retired general Sami Anan – seen as a serious challenger to Sisi – was arrested by the military on a slate of charges after declaring his intention to run. Anan’s family said on Wednesday that his whereabouts remained unknown. | Ali’s decision came hours after Sisi submitted his nomination documents, and a day after the retired general Sami Anan – seen as a serious challenger to Sisi – was arrested by the military on a slate of charges after declaring his intention to run. Anan’s family said on Wednesday that his whereabouts remained unknown. |
| Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak steps down after almost 30 years in power amid anti-government Arab spring protests. Rallies continue all year. | Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak steps down after almost 30 years in power amid anti-government Arab spring protests. Rallies continue all year. |
| Islamist parties win drawn-out parliamentary elections. | Islamist parties win drawn-out parliamentary elections. |
| Mohammed Morsi of Muslim Brotherhood wins presidential election. Mubarak sentenced to life in prison for complicity in killing 800 protesters in 2011. | Mohammed Morsi of Muslim Brotherhood wins presidential election. Mubarak sentenced to life in prison for complicity in killing 800 protesters in 2011. |
| Army overthrows Morsi. | Army overthrows Morsi. |
| Security forces kill hundreds in pro-Morsi camp. | Security forces kill hundreds in pro-Morsi camp. |
| Former army chief Abdel Fatah al-Sisi wins presidential election. | Former army chief Abdel Fatah al-Sisi wins presidential election. |
| Morsi sentenced to death. Egypt's appeal court orders retrial in 2016. | Morsi sentenced to death. Egypt's appeal court orders retrial in 2016. |
| Isis claims responsibility for bombing Russian plane in Sinai. Crew and 224 tourists killed. | Isis claims responsibility for bombing Russian plane in Sinai. Crew and 224 tourists killed. |
| IMF approves three-year $12bn loan to Egypt designed to help country out of economic crisis. | IMF approves three-year $12bn loan to Egypt designed to help country out of economic crisis. |
| Suicide bombers kill dozens at two churches as worshippers celebrate Palm Sunday. | Suicide bombers kill dozens at two churches as worshippers celebrate Palm Sunday. |
| Egyptian airstrikes on northern Sinai after militants assault on a mosque kills 305 people. | Egyptian airstrikes on northern Sinai after militants assault on a mosque kills 305 people. |
| Sisi announces he will run for a second term. | Sisi announces he will run for a second term. |
| The moves appear to show that the vote on 26-28 March is being reduced to little more than a one-candidate referendum. | The moves appear to show that the vote on 26-28 March is being reduced to little more than a one-candidate referendum. |
| Sisi recently received endorsements from more than 500 of the 596 members of parliament before even officially declaring his intention to run for a second term. | Sisi recently received endorsements from more than 500 of the 596 members of parliament before even officially declaring his intention to run for a second term. |
| Ali said he had aborted his campaign because of overwhelming obstacles that had prevented him from even getting on the ballot, and accused the elections committee of “violations”. | Ali said he had aborted his campaign because of overwhelming obstacles that had prevented him from even getting on the ballot, and accused the elections committee of “violations”. |
| “Our bid was met with a campaign of pressure. Several members of our campaign were arrested,” he said. | “Our bid was met with a campaign of pressure. Several members of our campaign were arrested,” he said. |
| Ali’s campaign had hoped to show that political change remained possible for Egyptians. | Ali’s campaign had hoped to show that political change remained possible for Egyptians. |
| But the lawyer had faced almost insurmountable challenges from the start, initially in the form of a court case accusing him of making “an obscene gesture” outside a Cairo court. He was convicted, and if that ruling is upheld on appeal he will be ineligible to run. The next appeal hearing is due in early March. | But the lawyer had faced almost insurmountable challenges from the start, initially in the form of a court case accusing him of making “an obscene gesture” outside a Cairo court. He was convicted, and if that ruling is upheld on appeal he will be ineligible to run. The next appeal hearing is due in early March. |
| Khalid Dawoud, a prominent member of the Constitution party, which had shown support for Ali, said he was unsure whether it was Anan’s arrest that had convinced Ali not to run, “but there was a widespread feeling that we won’t be given a chance to compete”. | Khalid Dawoud, a prominent member of the Constitution party, which had shown support for Ali, said he was unsure whether it was Anan’s arrest that had convinced Ali not to run, “but there was a widespread feeling that we won’t be given a chance to compete”. |
| “Anan’s arrest in this rough manner added [to] the impression that this regime wants a referendum, not competitive elections,” he said. “We wanted a true competition. We didn’t want to take part in a play or provide material for the regime to claim these are genuine elections.” | “Anan’s arrest in this rough manner added [to] the impression that this regime wants a referendum, not competitive elections,” he said. “We wanted a true competition. We didn’t want to take part in a play or provide material for the regime to claim these are genuine elections.” |
| Egypt | |
| Africa | |
| Middle East and North Africa | |
| Abdel Fatah al-Sisi | |
| news | |
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