The nomination process for September's presidential elections begins next week, reports Gamal Essam El-Din The Presidential Elections Commission (PEC), comprising five judges and five prominent public figures, convened for the first time on Tuesday to review plans for September's presidential elections. The committee's mandate includes supervising the nomination process, preparing the final list of candidates and overseeing campaigning, funding and monitoring the vote. Under the Presidential Elections Law (174/2005) the committee must include the chairman of the Supreme Constitutional Court and its most senior deputy, the chairman of the Cairo Appeals Court. They are supported by senior judges from the Court of Cassation and the State Council, and by public figures nominated by the People's Assembly and Shura Council. On 5 July the two houses named the five public figures. Three former judges and two professors of constitutional law were selected, in addition to a further five public figures who will act as reserves. According to parliamentary speaker Fathi Sorour the two houses were keen to ensure that the committee's public figures were non- partisan and included Christians and Muslims. Sources within the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) say nominations will probably begin some time between 19 and 24 July, and will continue for a week. Actual campaigning is expected to begin in earnest by the second week of August and will continue until two days before the vote. President Hosni Mubarak has yet to announce whether he intends to run for a fifth six-year term. NDP Secretary-General Safwat El-Sherif said on Tuesday that the party -- chaired by Mubarak -- will respect his wish to wait until the official opening of nominations before making his intentions public. That said, El-Sherif insisted the "NDP is determined that President Mubarak be the party's presidential candidate". The majority of NDP members, said El-Sherif, agree that Mubarak is the politician most able to drive through reforms that serve the best interests of the nation. In a televised interview in April Mubarak made it clear that he would postpone his decision until after the Presidential Elections Law came into effect. "Only after this," he said, "will I begin to consider whether to run for president or not." If he did decide to run, Mubarak said he would base his campaign on the achievements secured during his 24 years in office. Mohamed Ragab, the NDP's Shura Council spokesman, told Al-Ahram Weekly there was a groundswell of support for Mubarak's nomination within the party. "Once President Mubarak agrees to run the party will rally round him," said Ragab. Informed sources within the party say the president may well seize the opportunity afforded by celebrations of the 53rd anniversary of 1952's 23 July Revolution to announce his candidacy. Ayman Nour, chairman of Al-Ghad (Tomorrow) Party, is the only opposition figure so far to have clearly announced his intention to run. The decision of Cairo's Criminal Court to postpone Nour's trial -- on charges of forging signatures to gain a licence for his party -- until 25 September has lifted the one remaining obstacle to his candidacy. "I have a two-year transitional political reform programme, after which I swear Egypt will turn into a well- functioning democracy and new presidential elections will be held," Nour said. The resumption of Nour's trial on 25 September could, however, impact on his presidential bid since it may overlap with the campaign. Talaat El-Sadat, a cousin of the late President Anwar El-Sadat, has also indicated that he would like to run as the official candidate of Al-Ahrar Party. Given the internal divisions that have split Al-Ahrar, however, Sadat's candidacy could well be wishful thinking on the MP's part. The Wafd, Tagammu and Nasserist parties have yet to provide a clear answer on who, if anyone, they will field as candidates. Nomaan Gomaa and Rifaat El-Said, chairmen of the Wafd and Tagammu respectively, have both said any decision will wait until nominations are open and campaign regulations announced by the PEC. In a surprise development several minor parties indicated last week they are preparing to contest the election. The parties, which refused to join a wider opposition boycott of the national dialogue with the NDP, are being rewarded for that decision, charged Nour, and will be used to make it seem the presidential elections are really competitive. While sociologist Saadeddin Ibrahim and feminist writer Nawal El-Saadawi both said last year they intended to run as independent candidates, it appears that they have since changed their minds. According to amended Article 76 independent candidates are required to get the support of 65 elected members of the People's Assembly, 25 members of the Shura Council and 10 members of local councils in a minimum of 14 governorates before nominating themselves. Since all these bodies are dominated by the NDP, it is a virtually impossible task.
