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Egypt’s Tamarod plagued by division

The Egyptian Tamarod movement is witnessing divisions among its members, namely concerning the support of presidential candidates and the issue of turning the movement into a political party.
A man buys t-shirt of Tamarod, meaning opposition "Rebel" movment, while other t-shirts of Egyptian revolution are seen at Tahrir Square in Cairo June 23, 2013. The "Rebel!" alliance is campaigning to force President Mohamed Mursi to resign. Mursi's opponents say they have gathered about 15 million signatures - more than the 13 million votes that elected Mursi a year ago - on a petition calling on him to step down. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh  (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTX10Y1N
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Although it has not yet been a year since the emergence of the Tamarod movement on April 26, 2013, the movement already looks mired in division and disintegration. Hamdeen Sabahi’s decision to run for the presidency has resulted in a state of division within the Tamarod movement in Cairo and across different provinces. Mahmoud Badr, one of the Tamarod’s founders, reiterated the movement’s support for the candidacy of Field Marshal Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in the presidential elections. Meanwhile, Hassan Shaheen and Mohammed Abdel Aziz, two other founders, announced their support for Hamdeen Sabahi. Moreover, there are efforts within the movement aimed at turning it into a political party that enjoys some clout within the political scene, an idea that has caused great division within the movement itself.

This scene raises questions about the movement’s aptitude for cohesion as well as its impact on the future of Egyptian political life.

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