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Egypt's army chief Sisi cleared to run for president Egypt's army chief Sisi to run for president, confirm military sources
(about 3 hours later)
Egypt's military council has cleared army leader Abdel Fatah al-Sisi to run for the presidency. Egypt is poised to return to an era of strongman leadership, almost three years after the fall of former general Hosni Mubarak, after senior military sources confirmed on Monday that army leader Abdel Fatah al-Sisi would resign from the army and run for the presidency once nominations open in the coming days.
Sisi has been discussed as a potential head of state ever since he ousted Egypt's first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi, last July, and replaced him with a judge, Adly Mansour. Sisi has been discussed as a potential head of state ever since he ousted Egypt's first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi, last July, and replaced him with the judge, Adly Mansour. The move made Sisi so popular among certain sections of the population that he is likely to win any election by a landslide.
The country's official news agency said Mena reported that an official announcement by Sisi of his candidacy could take place "within hours". Sisi has never made a clear indication of his intentions, with some suspecting he fears his popularity would drastically fall were he to take on the everyday demands of the Egyptian presidency.
Earlier on Monday Sisi was promoted to field marshal - the military's highest rank. One senior military source told the Guardian that the symbolism of the appointment could be a show of appreciation or a signal that Sisi was about to resign in order to run. Promotions sometimes foreshadow resignations in Egyptian military circles. But on Mondayy the wheels of his transition to frontline politics seemed to have finally been set in motion. In the morning, Mansour promoted him to the honorific title of field marshal – a move that often foreshadows an Egyptian officer's resignation from the military.
"He would have to resign to run, of course," the officer said. "And my expectation is that he will go for it because most of the public would be depressed if he did not – they don't see any other civilian candidates." Then in the afternoon Supreme Council of the Armed Forces said in a statement: "the people's trust in Sisi is a call that must be heeded as the free choice of the people".
Hundreds of thousands of Sisi supporters filled Cairo's Tahrir Square on Sunday to call for the then-general to run. The statement said Sisi had thanked the military leadership for allowing him "the right to respond to the call of duty".
Public sentiment is hard to quantify in Egypt. Over 98% of participants voted for Egypt's new constitution this month, a sign of strong support for Sisi. But only 38.6% of voters took part. Interim President Mansour announced on Sunday that presidential elections would take place by the end of April, but the electoral high commission has not yet formalised the process.
A Zogby poll from September suggested Egypt was roughly split on Sisi's decision to topple Morsi last July, following days of mass protests. "I very much expect him to run," said former general Sameh Seif Elyazal, once a colleague of Sisi's at military intelligence. "They just have to wait until the presidential election high commission announces officially the dates."
Officers seeking to leave the army usually have to ask permission first. But Elyazal said that in Sisi's case it was unnecessary. "It's very much a personal decision," said Elyazal. "Any officers who submit their resignation for the purpose of running for office, as soon as you sign your resignation it is accepted by law, and you don't have to seek permission."
A serving senior officer also said Sisi was waiting for nominations to open. "My expectation is that he will go for it," said the source, speaking anonymously, "because most of the public would be depressed if he did not – they don't see any other civilian candidates."
Hundreds of thousands of Sisi supporters filled Cairo's Tahrir Square on Sunday to call for the then-general to run. Sisi-themed memorabilia – ranging from chocolates to underpants – can be bought across Egypt, while a group of Sisi fans claim to have collected millions of signatures calling for him to lead Egypt. "His promotion has made the Egyptian people so happy today," said Maha Abdelazeez, the campaign's founder.
Public sentiment is hard to quantify in Egypt. Over 98% of participants voted for Egypt's new constitution this month, a sign of strong support for Sisi. But only 38.6% of voters took part. Morsi supporters detest the field marshal for presiding over a campaign of oppression that has resulted in the deaths of more than 1,000 Morsi supporters, with thousands more arrested. A Zogby poll from September suggested Egypt was roughly split on Sisi's decision to topple Morsi last 3 July, following days of mass protests.
Secular activists expressed their frustration at the likely candidacy of another soldier, three years after the deposal of another.
"It's no good – it sends a message to the people that 3 July was a coup," said Ahmad Abd Allah, an activist who called for the fall of both Mubarak and Morsi. "We didn't go through 25 January 2011 or 3 July 2013 for this."