In 2012, 13 candidates competed in the first round of Egypt's presidential election. In retrospect, the race offered the most diverse political palette yet. Turnout saw a drop of over 20% from the parliamentary elections just months earlier, yet the variety of candidates offered insight into what Egyptians identify with and what they are willing to sacrifice or accept when facing tough choices. The second round was a nightmare scenario for the majority, who had to choose between the extremes of each camp: pro-state and Islamist. Two years later, the political space and appetite shrunk to only allow two candidates. The top five of the 2012 race are still involved, but their views and whereabouts sketch a different political scene for today.

Mohammed Morsi

In the 2012 elections, the head of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party came in first with 5.7 million votes (24.7%), which increased to 13.2 million (51.7%) in the runoff for Egypt’s first elected president after the January 25 Revolution. His constitutional declaration in November 2012, seen as an undemocratic power grab, cost him almost all non-Islamist allies. The country’s package of economic problems, together with fears of increased Islamic influence in society, were the last straw. On the first anniversary of Morsi's presidency, mass protests called for early elections. Three days later, on July 3, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the defense minister he had appointed and the man expected to win the race this month, ousted him.

Current position: His first public appearance following months of incommunicado detention was Nov. 4, for the first of three trials — inciting murder and torture, jailbreaking and espionage — he describes as farcical. He went from president of the republic to a soundproof glass booth in court, his microphone muted whenever the judge finds him disruptive.