Despite the popularity of former army chief Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi among Egypt's Coptic community, not all Copts believe that he is the right man to be president of the country. A typical conversation among Coptic voters might go this way: someone might say, “we need to support Al-Sisi because he saved the country from terrorism,” then another person might interject that “Hamdeen Sabahi is the right person for president because he is aware of our problems and believes in social justice,” before a third might disagree by concluding that “we should boycott the elections because Al-Sisi is the army man and Sabahi is promising more than he can fulfill.” As the date of the elections approaches, most Copts are leaning towards Al-Sisi, with Sabahi enjoying popularity among human rights groups and the young. Among the latter's supporters are Dostour Party leader Hala Shukrallah, Karama Party leader Amin Iskandar, and author Suleiman Shafik. Many Copts, citing fears of a revival of the Mubarak regime or a weak government under Sabahi, have decided to boycott the vote. Suzi Adli Nashed, a professor of economics at Alexandria University and close to Church circles, said that Al-Sisi had many qualities that would make him a good president. “I saw these qualities during his meeting with Pope Tawadros II when he was still defence minister,” she said. According to Nashed, Al-Sisi is well informed about the various problems of the country and takes a real interest in the poor. “No one can deny the military background of Al-Sisi, who has spent his whole life in the army... But people are knowledgeable enough to be able to judge. Al-Sisi is aware that people will be watching him, and he will do his best to promote their interests,” Nashed said. Al-Sisi was “confident and humble, smart and knowledgeable about events and problems, offers solutions, and has struck a chord with the general public,” she added. Karama Party leader Amin Iskandar called on the Copts to give their votes to Hamdeen Sabahi, however, dismissing Al-Sisi's programme as “an illusion” and offering nothing to the poor. According to Iskandar, Al-Sisi is in favour of a purely capitalistic system that benefits business more than anything else and is a mere recycling of Mubarak's policies. Sabahi's programme would be more suitable for the country, he said, because it was “neither socialist nor capitalist, but a programme that aims to develop society and help the workers, while using the country's wealth for industrialisation and production.” Iskandar said that Sabahi was popular among the younger generations, including younger Copts. He had more political experience than Al-Sisi, he said, and was less likely to be co-opted by the men of the old regime. Many younger Copts have been arguing for a boycott of the elections. “I will boycott the elections even though Al-Sisi took the side of the masses in getting rid of the Muslim Brotherhood on 30 June” last year, said Mina Thabet, a member of the Maspero Youth Union. “There have been signs that Al-Sisi is taking the side of businessmen at the expense of the poor. We cannot ignore the support he has received lately from businessmen and the corrupt circles of the Mubarak era, as well as from the state apparatus. This block of interests is hard to roll back. We are afraid for our nascent democracy, especially when every opposition member is being cast as a terrorist,” Thabet said. However, Thabet did not believe that Sabahi was a viable alternative, criticising claims that he represents the revolution. “Many don't see Sabahi as a man who can bring about the long-cherished dreams or goals of the revolution,” he added. Although the Coptic Church has taken a neutral position at home, many Church leaders abroad have called on the Copts to vote for Al-Sisi. Coptic businessmen abroad have also made donations to transport registered voters to polling stations to ensure the highest possible turnout. This tactic may have boosted Al-Sisi's chances, officials of Coptic organisations in Europe and America said.
