Reem Leila presents what people want to know about the potential first ladies Amani El-Ashmawi -- wife of Mohamed Selim El-Awwa Born in Cairo, El-Ashmawi is a famed writer for children. She has won several awards for children's novels. She has more than 40 books, including O Plane Fly High written in 2011. El-Ashmawi graduated from the Faculty of Law. She is El-Awwa's second wife after his first wife died. She has been married since the 1990s. According to El-Ashmawi, El-Awwa's run for the presidency has seriously affected her family, however, she is supporting him. "I believe Egypt in this critical time is in dire need of a president who follows God's instructions and abides by them. The task of the first president after the revolution will be a very tough one," El-Ashmawi said. At the same time, El-Ashmawi said if her husband won she will not take on any social projects as did former first ladies. "I will perform my duty as wife of the president, but not the country's first lady. There is nothing called first lady either in the Egyptian constitution or the law," added El-Ashmawi. El-Ashmawi said she had the utmost respect for the wives of Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkey's President Abdullah Gul. "They are Muslim wives who are performing their role perfectly without having any social or political activities." Seham Negm -- wife of Hamdeen Sabahi A graduate of Cairo University's Faculty of Commerce in 1976, Negm married potential president Hamdeen Sabahi in 1979. Negm is an activist and founder of the Women's Association, an NGO which calls for women's rights especially in eradicating illiteracy. She is also a counsellor for UNESCO on education for adults. Sabahi's decision to run in the presidential elections was not a surprise to either Negm or the family. According to Negm, Sabahi took the decision back in 2008, however, the idea was postponed "because the political atmosphere was unhealthy and was not going to allow him to run. We feared the regime's tyranny," she said. Negm believes Sabahi stands a good chance of winning the presidential elections on 23-24 May. "Exciting surprises will take place in the coming days. Every single hour something new happens. Sabahi is supported by many liberals, media people and actors. He can inspire youth. His background is clean. He has never benefited from the powers he used to enjoy when he was a member of parliament in 2005. He will not make use of his wealth to win the presidential seat," Negm said. Unlike El-Ashmawi, Negm believes that the wife of Egypt's future president must have a significant role to play in society. "A president's wife can serve society on the social level without interfering in political life. A president's wife does not have the right to interfere in the country's policies. She also should not have any kind of power in order not to harm the country's welfare," Negm said. Naglaa Mahmoud -- wife of Mohamed Mursi Born in 1962 in Sharqiya governorate, Mahmoud settled in the Ain Shams district in Cairo. She married Mursi in 1979. Mahmoud and her family moved to New Cairo three years ago. After finishing school, she studied translation in the US in Los Angeles and worked as an interpreter. Mahmoud's children Ahmed and Shaimaa were born in the US and have US nationality. "However, since they returned to Egypt two decades ago they did not go back to America," Mahmoud said. Mahmoud is positive that a Muslim Brotherhood (MB) candidate will win the presidential elections in the first round without the need for a run-off. "None of the current candidates is better than those of the MB," Mahmoud said. "Any MB candidate will be able to take big strides towards progress. "The MB has a comprehensive project called 'The Development of Egypt', a system according to which health, education, investment and the economy are to be developed and improved for the sake of the country." Mahmoud agreed with El-Ashmawi that the wife of the country's upcoming president should not have a role on the political or social level. "Islam taught us that people's rulers are their servant, like the wife. She should serve and help her husband, exactly as the husband is serving the public. Any innovated titles such as Egypt's first lady is rejected." Laila Badawi -- wife of Amr Moussa She graduated from Alexandria University's Engineering Faculty and was appointed a faculty member. Badawi shuns public life but is involved in many activities among them the environment. She believes that living in a clean and healthy environment is a central right of people. Badawi has told the media that a wife must carry burdens in order to help her husband in performing his job. She spends most of her time taking care of her family. She hopes Egypt would be able to recapture its leading role in the world in the near future. Aliaa Khalil -- wife of Abdel-Moneim Abul-Fotouh She is a gynaecologist who does not intend to have any public role if her husband wins.
