CAIRO ? Former Egyptian prime minister and presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq sought Saturday to dispel his authoritarian image by vowing to uphold democratic principles and respect all segments of society.
?We all sought to achieve for Egypt a democracy it thirsted for,? Shafiq, one of the two politicians who will compete in a runoff following this week?s presidential vote told reporters Saturday. ?Our visions differed, our methods varied. That is the nature of democracy.?
Many Egyptians see the prospect of a Shafiq presidency as a continuation of the type of authoritarian regimen they set out to dismantle last year in the popular revolt that led to President Hosni Mubarak?s ouster. Conservative Islamists were among the most repressed Egyptians under Mubarak?s government, and Shadiq made curbing the rise of Islamist politics a cornerstone of his campaign. But he struck a conciliatory tone Saturday, saying that he intends, if elected, to preside over ?a country that can contain everyone and is for everyone.?
Preliminary results Friday from state media showed that after the initial round in the first free presidential election in Egypt?s modern history, the field of 13 had been whittled to two candidates who represent the heavyweight forces of Egyptian politics ? the Muslim Brotherhood and the military.
The Brotherhood?s candidate, Mohammed Morsi, has vowed to impose broader application of Islamic law. Shafiq, who served as prime minister before Mubarak was toppled, campaigned as a secular leader who will thwart the rise of political Islam and restore security.
The choice leaves a large section of Egyptian society feeling disenfranchised and stunned, particularly because neither finalist was regarded as a champion of last year?s popular revolt.
?You?ll have a lot of people staying away from the polls. It?s a potential fiasco and a possible confrontation,? said Hani Shukrallah, editor of the English-language Web site of the state-run newspaper al-Ahram .
While none of the leading candidates was considered ideal for U.S. interests, the two finalists are in many ways the worst, said Marina Ottaway, a Middle East expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
?Shafiq would spell trouble because there might be another upheaval. It would be seen by many as a return to the old regime, and the country would be very divided,? Ottaway said. ?Morsi would also be seen as a problem in Washington ? too much power for the Muslim Brotherhood, and again the country would be divided.?
The Muslim Brotherhood urged the nation on Friday to unite behind its candidate to defeat Shafiq, calling on other presidential candidates to endorse Morsi. A leading member of the Brotherhood?s Freedom and Justice Party, Essam el-Erian, said in a news conference that Egypt?s revolution was in ?danger.?
During the campaign, Morsi appealed to the legion of pious voters who have come to depend on the Brotherhood?s extensive charity network and appreciate its religious outreach. Although Morsi is an uncharismatic candidate, the group?s prodigious electoral machinery propelled him to first place in the voting.
Source: http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/click.phdo?i=21ec3933093359a99ba5a6c04d613937
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