Ikhwanweb :: The Muslim Brotherhood Official English Website

No Successor in Egypt

According to Amro Hassan, this weekend’s National Democratic Party conference failed to ease fears over Egyptian succession. While many had hoped the conference would address the issue of President Hosni Mubarak’s successor, “Former Minister of Information and current NDP Secretary-General Safwat Sherif blasted the independent news media for raising what he called “speculative” suggestions that Gamal Mubarak will be the country’s next president, adding that it is too early to discuss who will be the party’s presidential candidate.”

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According to Amro Hassan, this weekend’s National Democratic Party conference failed to ease fears over Egyptian succession.  While many had hoped the conference would address the issue of President Hosni Mubarak’s successor, “Former Minister of Information and current NDP Secretary-General Safwat Sherif blasted the independent news media for raising what he called “speculative” suggestions that Gamal Mubarak will be the country’s next president, adding that it is too early to discuss who will be the party’s presidential candidate.” Sherif is also reported as explaining that the NDP will hold a separate conference to choose the next NDP leader.

During the convention, Mubarak stressed the role of youth in the NDP, “The party’s young members … have a clear vision for the nation’s future, and propose new ideas to deal with the reality [in Egypt].” The Middle East Online reports that Gamal Mubarak “cast himself as a defender of the poor on Sunday in a speech seen by many as an attempt to hone his prospects of succeeding his father.”

Al Arabiyya is reporting that the Muslim Brotherhood will not attempt to challenge the NDP in the 2011 presidential election.  Speaking on the decision, Brotherhood leader Mohamed Mahdi Akef said, “I made my own calculations. Should I go by force and clash with the regime? I say no, we don’t do that.”

In a different story, The Arabist has posted an Al Jazeera report criticizing Egypt’s food subsidy program.