Egypt’s political parties choose to forgo challenging Sisi
Egyptians will find slim pickings on their presidential election ballots come March, leaving the relevance of political parties in question.
CAIRO — As would-be challengers to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi slip off the campaign trail — or are pushed — people are wondering what the future holds for the country's political parties. Human rights lawyer Khaled Ali's withdrawal Jan. 24 from Egypt's presidential race — a day after candidate Gen. Sami Anan was arrested — raised questions about what role parties might play in the upcoming elections.
Also, on Jan. 26, Wafd Party leader El-Sayyid el-Badawi announced he was running for president, but the party’s supreme body withdrew his candidacy the next day and endorsed Sisi in the elections, scheduled for late March. In December, a military court sentenced Col. Ahmed Qonsowa to six years in prison. He had been arrested soon after he announced he would run.
